As the 2017-18 school year comes to an end and finals season closes in, Hullabaloo seniors reflect on what they will miss most about New Orleans when they graduate, and Hullabaloo underclassmen reflect on what they’ll miss when they return home for the summer.

Lily Milwit — Class of 2018

I’ve been so lucky over the past four years to experience New Orleans’ unique food, music and art. I’ve been amazed at the resilience, culture and spirit of this city, and I have taken pride in writing it in as the city under my address when I order from Amazon Prime and Uber Eats.

I’m so grateful for the temporary homes I’ve found at Tulane – in my residence halls and off-campus house, in The Hullabaloo office, on the third floor of Howie T., and in classrooms where I’ve been privileged to learn from remarkable professors.

But more often than not, I’ve let myself get stuck in the Tulane bubble. New Orleans is so much more than Tulane, and my four years here have probably not even breached the surface of what this amazing city has to offer.

Still, though, I’ll certainly miss the live music and BBQ shrimp. I’ll miss warm winters, open container laws, drive-thru daqs, gas station po’ boys and having poems written for me by strangers on Frenchman. I’ll miss king cake and festivals and low rent. I’ll miss lagniappe and Who Dat and where y’at.

I’ll also miss living in a city whose history and identity have been formed against all odds. I’ll miss being challenged in and out of the classroom to think about what living here means, and what my positionality and impact here are.

Thank you so much, New Orleans, for letting me set up camp here. As my third (sometimes fourth, depends on the season) favorite character from The Office once said, “No matter how you get there or where you end up, human beings have this miraculous gift to make that place home.”

Grant Barnes — Class of 2021

It is going be pretty hard to depart New Orleans knowing I will be leaving sno-balls behind. As I will be returning to the heat of “Hot-lanta,” Georgia, I can foresee myself craving an ice cold sno-ball almost on a daily basis.

Allison — Class of 2018

When you’re a freshman at Tulane, you’re frequently told, “enjoy college because it will be over before you know it.” (Despite how annoying it is to hear this piece of advice over and over again, as a senior I can, in fact, tell you the warning is true.)

You are less often told, however, to enjoy New Orleans because one day you may no longer call this incredible city home. Leaving New Orleans means leaving “streets” that are fifty percent potholes, leaving incredible live music at every street corner and leaving the people, food and culture that makes New Orleans what it is.

It’s incredibly easy to get caught up in the “Tulane bubble” and to not integrate yourself into New Orleans itself. There is so much more to New Orleans than The Boot, Rum House, the Fly and other locations Tulane students typically frequent. Looking back, I wish I had done more to burst out of the bubble and work to truly become apart of the New Orleans community.

To the Tulane students not yet leaving New Orleans: burst out of the Tulane bubble because one day you might no longer call New Orleans home; And, similar to my experience, this day may come sooner than you anticipate. 

Carrigan English — Class of 2021

Although I only live a mere 6 hours north of New Orleans, I will miss this city and all of the friends I have made this past year. More importantly, I will miss Friday afternoons at the Fly, watching the sunset and feeling free from the stress of school.

Daniel — Class of 2018

As I get ready to depart New Orleans after four incredible years, it’s difficult to put into words how much I’ll miss this city.

The moments I’ve had and the people I’ve met will truly stay with me for years to come. Sure, it’ll be hard to get used to living in a city with more expensive booze and open container laws, but there’s more to New Orleans than that. The public spaces where my friends and I would spend hours on end were the places I’ve made some of my best memories. Randomly stumbling upon some of the best restaurants, bars and music clubs was a great way for me to get to know parts of the city that aren’t tourist-ridden.

Then, of course, I’ll miss Tulane specifically. Though all of the assignments, papers and exams kept me up late and forced me to wake up early, it was worth it to meet some of the greatest professors I’ve ever had, professors who make it worth getting up in the morning to learn.

Being a student in a city like New Orleans is a unique experience. You’re in the heart of one of the most culturally vibrant cities in the world without the same responsibilities as real adults who trudge their way through their post-graduate 9-5 lives. It’s an experience I’ve been fortunate to relish for four years, and now it’s time to let go into the next chapter of my life. Also, I really hope there’s a Cane’s wherever I go next because I’m going to miss Cane’s a lot.