“The Maze” by Michael Schulte

​For those out there feeling a bit lost coming into graduation, know that you’re not alone. We’ve all been lost before, but we always find our way back. For some of us, we felt a little lost finding our major in the beginning, and then maybe a few times there in the middle too. But we are now at the top of the mountain and that feeling may be coming back just a bit. May you use these lyrics as your fuel: “I will find my place, / Yeah I will fight my way, Through the maze,… / The smoke is clearing now, / All the fears come tumbling down.” 

“MOOD 4 EVA” by Beyonce, JAY-Z, Childish Gambino and Oumou Sangare

​As the title of this song says, the graduating class of 2021 should bask in the glow that is your achievement of accomplishing a degree that you have worked for. You’ve spent years committing your collective focus with these moments in mind. You have achieved a feat that demands the respect  and admiration of your peers and professors alike. Stand with your heads high and feel the vibe of your hard work paying off. “When we walk up in the club / I need them sirens goin’ off, / Then we can look up to the sky, / The tears we cry let us know that we alive, yeah, yeah, / I give ’em goosebumps every time, / I throw up my diamond, / Together we’re big timin’, / Promise this my mood forever.”

“I DID IT” by DJ Khaled, Post Malone, Megan Thee Stallion, Lil Baby and DaBaby

​Kick right into “I DID IT,” another jam that keeps the vibe from the previous song. You did it, and this is just the beginning. You  made it through one heck of a senior year and you have persevered through every challenge and trial. Moving forward, know that you have conquered an immense feat and you’ve overcome each barrier in your path. You stayed true to the path before you and “You stayed down till you came up.” This is your come up – wield it with pride. You did it! “My climax ain’t even nowhere near it, I stayed down and I stayed down, And I came up, I had faith in my spirit.”

“Ramen & OJ” by Joyner Lucas and Lil Baby

​This one is for those of us out there who are glad that those days of finals and term papers are yesterday’s news, but who are still waiting on the 6 a.m. alarm clock to go off, tightening your laces for the next grind and ready for everything the world is ready to throw your way. “You got to flex,” as the song’s lyrics go. You know the old days are there to remind you of your strength and drive while the days ahead are there to motivate you to lay every ounce of your spirit on the line – because you know the work you put forth is to achieve greatness. 

“Wildfire” by Cautious Clay

Those who already know their path ahead are ready to set the world on fire. This one strikes a chord of calm before the storm that you lead with the force of nature that is your heart and mind into the next chapter of your life. “Your eyes are like weapons, / Your lips could teach lessons, / Don’t use them so reckless.” May you reminisce on the joys, lessons and triumphs you’ve encountered within the halls you leave behind. The world is your playground. May the wildfire that blazes within you burn brighter than the sun, and may the future you have before you bring all that hope for.

“RUN” by OneRepublic

​Despite what all the naysayers may have said, graduating class of 2021: you have made it to the peak. You chose to RUN with your dreams in hand. During these moments of celebration, take a pause for the acknowledgement of proving all the haters wrong. With degree in hand, yell to the sky with gratification in your achievements. “They tell you /  that the sky might fall / They’ll say that you might lose it all, / So I run until I hit that wall / Yeah, I learned my lesson, count my blessings, / Look to the rising sun.” 

“More time fishin’” by Thomas Rhett

​No doubt that while moving into the summer, many of us may be worried about what might come next. Make sure to decompress and find some time for a little “fishin’,” be it going on a road trip or hike or catching up on that series everyone can’t shut up about. Find some time for you to let go of the stresses of finals to just for a moment exist without pressure or expectation just be. “You can spend your whole life, / Tryin’ to make a killin’, / But what’s it all worth without a little livin’? / Don’t wanna look back at all the things I’m missin’, / And wake up wishin’ I spent more time fishin’.”

“Solo Dance” by Martin Jensen

​For all and any who care to hear: you don’t need a song, a beat or a partner (or even know what the steps are) to dance. You’ve danced as a collective, but as you take these final steps through these Cougar-filled halls, may you take your solo dance across the world stage with joy and pride. You have reached what some have named impossible and have taken the fire of knowledge into your own hands. “I came the party on my own, / Don’t need nobody in my zone, / I get down to the beat.”

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