On a daily basis, you wave hello to multiple people as you walk down Bruin Walk, spend hours wasting time with your closest friends and check Facebook on 10 separate occasions while you should be writing a paper. Will there ever be another time in your life when being social will be this easy?
Though walking across the stage at graduation marks the official end of our UCLA careers, it doesn’t mean the end of friendships or the end of the life we’ve created here. Keep your Bruin spirit alive by donning every blue and gold article of clothing you have, pasting temporary tattoos on your face and then gathering on the golf course at the Rose Bowl before a football game.
At the Rose Bowl, alumni are supposed to flaunt their UCLA pride and fondly recall the crazy football games of their undergraduate years, like the time UCLA beat ‘SC and there was a near-riot in Westwood.
“I don’t think I’ll ever say goodbye. I’ll be taking my kids to football games,” said Aria Ghafari, a fifth-year political science student.
Recent alumni are even offered half-price football season tickets, so the only thing between you and the Rose Bowl is a carpool with your closest Bruin friends.
Share your UCLA pride with others even if you’re not in the Los Angeles area. In cities across the country, the UCLA Alumni Association sponsors tailgates, alumni clubs and game viewing parties, said Oliver Viboolkij, a membership representative.
But if your friends are separating to different parts of the country, don’t feel discouraged, because you now have the perfect opportunity to travel and visit new places.
“Everyone’s dispersing but it’s just an excuse to stay with someone,” said Nick Armstrong, a fourth-year political science student. Armstrong said he can’t wait to visit friends who are moving to New York City and Washington D.C.
While the idea of reunions may seem a bit too nostalgic ““ especially since it’s only 10th week ““ planning a specific time for friends to reunite is the best solution for hectic schedules, as many people are beginning full-time careers.
If organized social gatherings are not your forte, a simple click of your mouse onto the beloved Facebook will instantly provide you with in-depth knowledge of your friends’ physical locations, current career situations and the opportunity to easily and quickly send them a “hello.”
Ani Markarian, a fourth-year economics student, said she will use Facebook to keep in touch with friends because she can access the Web site from anywhere, even while she is at work.
Though the cliche is common, graduating from UCLA makes you a part of the “Bruin family,” and one of the best ways to remain connected to UCLA is to simply say hello to the other Bruins you see wearing their T-shirts or who cover their cars in bumper stickers.
After graduation, you won’t walk down Bruin Walk or see friends every day, but you will never lose the memories and unique experiences of your time as a UCLA student.