Now that final exams have officially come to an end, it’s finally time for us to pack up and leave Sacred Heart behind for the summer. It hasn’t quite hit me yet that I won’t have the privilege to be around all of my closest friends all summer. Don’t get me wrong- I love summer vacation as much as the next person. But I think I speak for most of us when I say I’m really going to miss SHU over these next few months. Here are some of the things in specific that we will all miss the most:

1. Independence

Now that we're home from college, we're back underneath the watchful eyes of our parents. Some of us are back to the high school curfew we once had. We can't do whatever we want, whenever we want without hearing "You live under my roof, you live by my rules!" Anything can set off this speech- a dish left in the sink, clothes on the floor, anything.

2. Merritt Canteen

I have yet to find a place at home that sells mac n' cheese bites. I'll miss the greasy burgers and the greasier employees. See you in the fall, Gus!

3. The post games

Coming home from a night out is hardly fun when you have to tiptoe past your parents' bedroom so as not to wake them up. I'll certainly miss the late night festivities that took place after the party.

4. G-star

This is possibly the hardest goodbye of them all. Knowing I won't be able to come back to G-star next fall breaks my heart. This is sure to be the worst syllabus week of all-time. RIP G-star, always in our hearts.

5. Chartwells employees

SHU could not have hired a better dining staff. Sandie, Maria and the rest of the gang, you will be missed dearly.

6. Red’s

This one more specifically applies to the upperclassmen. While I have yet to experience it, I'm sure all of you older Pioneers will miss senior pub nights and themed nights at our school pub, Red's.

7. Late night Linda’s

Now that I'm home for the summer, I won't be able to indulge in the satisfying tastes of late night Linda's. Where else can I get a buffalo chicken quesadilla and chicken fingers at 1:30 AM?

8. Using my SHU card

Ah, yes, the SHU card. This little piece of plastic is like my lifeline. It's my key, my means for buying food and an ID, all wrapped into one (You'd think I wouldn't lose the damn thing so much). For the next few months, I'll be forced to carry around house and car keys, money and my license. That's way too much for me to remember. Until the fall, SHU card.

9. My best friends

It isn't until May rolls around that I realize how much I took time for granted. I will miss my friends more than anything at SHU. I'll miss being able to text in the group chat, "Who wants food?" and receiving replies from the whole squad. As much as they distracted me from my schoolwork at times, I'll miss having them around 24/7. I am so grateful to have made such wonderful friends in college. If it were not for the relationships I made, my college experience would be entirely different. I cannot wait to reunite with you all this fall. Peace out, SHU fam.