The fall 2016 semester is coming to an end. For a significant number of students, this means graduation is right around the corner. Lander University has been our home for the past few years. This school has witnessed us at our best and our worst. It has seen us cry over stressful tests and laugh until it hurts with our best friends. It has taught us hard work and helped us find our passions. So when it's time for seniors to say goodbye to our beloved college, it can be a very emotional situation. We're going to miss every second of it.

Here are a few of the many things about Lander that will be forever preserved in our memories and present in our hearts, even after we graduate.

1. The faculty and staff.

First and foremost, seniors are going to miss the employees at Lander. Although they can be a bit frustrating at times, you can always count on them to be there for you; whether they are instructors, counselors, tutors, or even cafeteria workers. They care about you, and you can witness it in all they do for you.

2. The Bearcat.

The best part of any sporting event is watching Lander's mascot prowl around the arena. You just can't look at him and be in a bad mood, especially when he's trying to get you to dance or parading around with children. Everyone is sure to miss our signature mascot when they graduate.

3. Angela Fulbright emails.

Let's be honest for a second, Angela Fulbright emails the student body more times per day than should ever be allowed. She might as well be known as the Lost and Found Queen of Lander. Her constant outreach can get annoying, but it's all worth it when you read that someone has lost their pool cue sticks on campus and she's desperately trying to find the owner.

4. Lifelong friends.

The friends we make at Lander will always be with us. They have made a huge impact on our lives, and we'll always be thankful for their love and support. If it weren't for Lander, chances are that none of us would have ever met. It's certainly something to miss.

5. The back elevator in the Learning Center.

One of the biggest blessings to ever grace Lander's campus is the elevator at the back of the Learning Center. Sometimes you're just a tired or lazy college student, and you don't want to take the never-ending staircase to your class. But at the same time, you're afraid of being judged for taking the main elevator up just one floor. That's when the back elevator saves the day. If you haven't discovered this yet, just take a right by the business office and find your legs' saving grace.

6. The family atmosphere.

Without a doubt, the one thing seniors will miss the most about Lander is the overall atmosphere of the campus. We are all one big, happy family. Sometimes we put the "fun" in "dysfunctional," but at the end of the day, you know someone always has your back. You always have someone you can count on to make you laugh, help you study, or hold you when you cry. We as Bearcats have so much love for one another that it's overwhelming.

Lander University is one of the best schools anyone could dream of going to. It may not be as prestigious as an Ivy League college, or have as much to do on the weekends as universities in bigger towns; but that's not what's important. What is important is that we'll all be Bearcats forever. It's not for four years, it's for life.