Congratulations, class of 2016! Graduation is here.

In honor of the Grand Canyon University seniors graduating this month, we thought it would be fun to list just a few of the things that may be familiar to you and your fellow GCU alumni.

You know you graduated from GCU when:

• You have trouble choosing an outfit for work because all you have are GCU T-shirts. When you open your closet, what do you see? It is most likely a sea of purple and white T-shirts from GCU sporting events, service projects and school-related events. No one will ever question where you went to school. But, when you need to find slacks and a collared shirt for work, you are straight out of luck.

• You find yourself throwing a “Lopes up” sign at fellow alumni you see around town. It is becoming more common to see people wearing GCU merchandise around town. Whether you are at the grocery store, movie theater or mall, you can spot the GCU logo from miles away. To pay respect to your fellow Lopes, you find yourself shooting your hand in the air with your ring finger and middle finger glued to your thumb. You both cheer “Lopes up!” and walk away with pride.

• You can’t believe how much GCU has grown. With GCU’s growth year after year, you hardly recognize the campus whenever you come back to visit. You love the new apartments, sports fields and classrooms that weren’t around when you lived on campus. You take pride as GCU alumni when you hear about all the success GCU is having, as the university continues to transform the landscape of West Phoenix.

• You are proud to hear about the many ways your school is serving their students and community. It seems as though not a day goes by without hearing how GCU is introducing new programs and opportunities for their students, or acting as the Lord’s hands and feet within the community. It truly makes you proud of your school. You miss serving alongside your peers through GCU’s community outreach programs and you start to reminisce about the many ways GCU served you when you were a student.

• You consider going back for your master’s degree because you don’t want to let go of GCU’s amazing community. Senioritis? What’s that? Let’s face it – no one really wants to leave GCU’s amazing community. The small class sizes, Christian community and the many ways to be involved on campus are unique to GCU, and are not something to be taken for granted. Aiming for your master’s degree starts to sound like a much better idea compared to purposely flunking in an effort to stay on campus. Plus, you know that GCU has many degree programs to choose from if you decide to further your education.

• You are more of a basketball fan now than you ever were ever before. GCU basketball has been rising to the top faster than you can say “Let’s go, Lopes!” five times fast. As a GCU graduate, you probably go to just as many basketball games as you did when you were a student. And who can blame you? GCU is the top-ranked Division I men’s college basketball team in the WAC and the second ranked team in the state of Arizona! Additionally, alumni events such as the free tailgates before basketball games allow you to continue to show your school spirit and get involved with fellow GCU alumni.

• You have built a strong foundation in faith through all of the Chapel services and Bible studies you attended. For four years, you were blessed with the opportunity to become involved in a Christian community. You had the chance to attend Chapel every Monday morning, The Gathering every Tuesday night and small groups and Bible studies during your free time. Now, you’ve searched your city high and low for churches that can provide the same opportunities so you can continue to grow in your relationship with Christ.

Congratulations, seniors! Looking for ways to get involved as GCU alumni? Visit the Office of Alumni Relations to learn more about your opportunities.