Dear Class of 2017,

Let me be the first to say holy sh*t. After 3½ years, 7 semesters, and over 100 credits, it all comes down to one more semester. One more semester to be surrounded by some of your closest friends. One more semester where it’s “OK” to get drunk on a random weeknight. One more semester of “studying.” One more semester for day drinks. One more semester to make memories. One more semester to have the time of our lives before entering the real world.

As we head into our last semester, I want to take a look back—from freshman orientation to registering for our last semester of classes, we have been through it all. We have seen countless friends graduate before us. We have been rejected from multiple bars. We have celebrated swiping back into the dorms successfully after a night out. We blacked out at Barstool. We proudly completed multiple walks of shame. We celebrated the first PFL championship in Marist history. We have been locked out of our rooms after a shower. We rocked the river with Big Sean. We jumped into the Hudson. We became the first school to reach 100 MAAC championships. We studied abroad. We tanned on Marist beach. We took pictures inside the Marist tree. We spent countless hours in the library. We have lost our dignity at more than one local bar. We fought for parking spaces. We witnessed the departure of the legend John Gildard. We welcomed in only the 4^th president in Marist history. We held our own Oktoberfest. We have made it through 7 syllabus weeks. We have tailgated in the McCann lot. We have tailgated in the Beck lot. We sort of remember Catalina wine mixers. We even saw them finish the Rotunda. We have done it all…

Almost. We have one more semester to continue making memories that will last a lifetime. One more semester… just let that sink in. Only about 5 short months to do it all one last time. Since August of 2013, it’s safe to say some things have changed. We have grown together, through the good and the bad. For some, future plans have been decided. For others, another year at Marist seems more intriguing. No matter what happens after we walk across that stage in May, we will all have the memories of the past 4 years together. Never again will we all be together. Whether you are happy to never see some people again or hate the fact that college is almost over, we can all agree it has been a wild 3½ years.

So, here is to the next 5 months. Let's all live it up one last time and make our last semester as college students one to remember. Let's all try to make it to senior week. And then, let's all try to survive senior week. It has been an incredible experience thus far, and I expect nothing less.

Until we walk across that stage in May…

Your classmate and friend,

Dan Luise