This spring, the NYU Class of 2017’s academic successes of the past four years will finally culminate with diplomas in hand and caps in the air. Right now, they are preparing to take on the world beyond college. Entering the world of business, medicine or graduate school is a huge accomplishment, yet NYU’s senior class has much more to offer.

The other, artsier side of this class was featured at the Class Activities Board Senior Showcase, a final opportunity for 25 of these seniors to share and embrace the creativity that may not be visible in their College of Arts and Sciences or Stern School of Business coursework. Their passions outside of the classroom are a huge part of who these students are and how they earned their spots at NYU — and this showcase was a perfect way to celebrate their achievements.

To an outsider, NYU may seem like an odd place, lacking a campus and the stereotypical notion of community that sprouts from a centrally-located football stadium. But if that same outsider attended this year’s Senior Showcase, they would have been introduced to the unique and vibrant community that NYU students and their intellectual and creative pursuits foster. We are a community of more than just painted superfans. We are a community of deeply passionate students whose hobbies and energies outside the classroom unite to make something bigger, something deeper and more poignant than any pep rally.

The energy in the Kimmel auditorium was palpable. Students representing every NYU school mingled over hummus and pita appropriately paired with plastic cups, watching and admiring the display of talents ranging from Parisian cafe photography to slam poetry. Conversations among the crowd touched on topics like the importance of creative outlets or the quality of the chicken nuggets, while observers in the front rows watched the live performers and clapped to the beat, showing their support for friends and strangers alike.

This showcase was what being at NYU is all about. Here, the student body is full of artists, whether they hail from a Tisch studio or a 4 a.m. Stern library study group. Even if a student chooses not to pursue a creative talent professionally, this Senior Showcase embodies the idea of becoming a well-rounded person, of using your talents to both enrich your personal experience and growth at NYU. The performers and visual exhibitions both entertained and inspired others to stay connected to their creativity, despite the demands and requirements of majors or minors. Here at NYU, this balance and passion showcases what the college experience is all about: finding what you love, and sharing it too.

A version of this article appeared in the Monday, Oct. 31 print edition. Email Emily Conklin at [email protected].