When I first stepped onto Cornell’s campus, I just knew it was the place for me. It was April of my senior year of high school, and despite the gray skies, pouring rain, and construction chaos on North Campus, I felt butterflies. Real ones.

I remember turning to my freshman-year roommate on our very first night and saying, “It’s going to go by so fast.” We laughed. And then, just like that, we were crying in our dorm room as we hugged goodbye at the end of the year, what felt like mere moments later.

Sophomore year came quicker than the first, and before I could blink, I was boarding a plane to Florence for my junior fall abroad. I returned to campus in the spring just in time to watch my brother graduate.

Then came my last Cornell summer. We packed the car in Florida one final time and set off on our traditional road trip back to Ithaca, only to have the car break down an hour into the drive. I remember thinking, What a perfect start to senior year! But we made it, eventually, and I began this final chapter with the full awareness of how fleeting it would be.

This year, I’ve tried to soak in every moment. I’d be lying if I said it was easy. Juggling leadership positions in every organization I’m part of, balancing live performances, job applications, a remote internship, classes, and, yes, homework, has been overwhelming at times. But I made a promise to myself: to stay present. To be grateful. My secret weapon? A playlist.

A carefully curated lineup of nostalgia and wisdom:

“You’re Gonna Miss This” by Trace Adkins

“I Lived” by OneRepublic

“I’ll Always Remember You” by Hannah Montana

“(I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life” by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes

“Good Old Days” by Macklemore and Kesha

At first, it was a little joke - something to make me smile as I walked across campus with earbuds in and my heart full. But now, with graduation just days away, I can’t make it through that playlist without crying. I swear I’m cool… just not when it comes to goodbyes.

A.A. Milne once wrote, “How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.” And as I’ve told my mom (every single day - PSA to every incoming student: call your parents), I feel so ready to begin the next chapter… and so heartbroken to leave this one behind. And she always replies, “Cristi, that’s how you know you did it right.”

So here it is. My love letter to you, Cornell.

Thank you for being my home for the past four years. For giving me the most incredible friends I didn’t know I needed. For music and dance, for late-night rehearsals and early-morning ambassador meetings. For letting my brother love you first, and still saving space for me. For the most beautiful campus and sunsets on the Slope. For Florence. For every laugh, every phone call home, every triumph, and every misstep. I’m endlessly grateful.

You gave me more than opportunity. You gave me strength in my legs (#cornellcalves), mind, and heart. You pushed me constantly, and yet always offered grace when I needed it most. Thank you to the faculty who inspired me, the staff who supported me, and yes, even to the carpets of that old freshman dorm. Thank you for the honeybee lectures and the laughter classes. For the “gorges.” For making goodbye so bittersweet, it actually hurts.

Thank you, Cornell, for being the kind of place that leaves its mark. You’ll always be my forever home.

And now, it’s my turn. I can’t wait to make you proud.

With all my love,

Cristina