Editor’s Note: Christine Claus, who has written for The Pitt News news desk for four years,… Editor’s Note: Christine Claus, who has written for The Pitt News news desk for four years, will graduate this week.

Memories are the one thing in life that no one can ever take away from you.

As of Sunday afternoon, several thousand Pitt students will leave this University and enter the working world, or possibly go on to graduate school.

Where did all the time go? Many are left wondering.

Leaving high school was hard. Leaving college seems like it’s going to be impossible.

In high school, many students who were going to college knew they still had at least four more years until they had to face the real world.

It’s that time of year now, and this time, I find myself having to leave my college career behind. But how do you say goodbye?

If there is one place where I’ve spent the majority of my time through the last four years, it’s The Pitt News office.

Working for The Pitt News has given me opportunities that I never imagined possible at a collegiate-level newspaper.

From meeting important political figures, to covering six-hour-long Greek events, to meeting University administrators — whether it was to let students know what was happening around campus or to uncover a scandal — I always left the newsroom with a smile on my face after handing in a story.

I knew each story was going to be in print in the following day’s paper, and students were going to read it.

For me, that was the best part: knowing that something positive might occur because of what was in black and white on the pages of The Pitt News.

Whether it was an organization having an event or a student who won an award, we put it all out there for people to read.

This is The Pitt News’ 98th year in publication.

Writers and editors have come and gone with each passing year, and we will do the same.

I found myself getting teary-eyed with every mention of graduation, until a close friend said something to me the other night.

“Just because we’re leaving Pitt, it doesn’t mean we have to leave each other,” he said. And then it hit me: He was right.

We may have to leave campus life behind, but there’s no reason why those who have became our anchors over the years cannot stay with us — either by keeping in touch or moving along in life together.

Overwhelming emotions strike many graduating seniors, and rightfully so.

Every student on this campus has done something in some way to change or influence this University, as will the students of the coming years.

Those changes are what makes this place so special, and keeps graduates coming back for more.

So when people ask me about leaving Pitt behind, I simply respond, “I’ll be around still, and I’m taking the best parts with me — the memories.”

Christine Claus would like to thank everyone who has made her college experience a little brighter — and sometimes even safer. Much love and happy memories to all seniors. To share your sappy pre-graduation stories, email her at cmc892pitt.edu