Dear Freshman Year,

As I'm sitting in the library, studying for the last few test of the year and upcoming finals, I'm reflecting back on my first year of college. You were full of good memories, adventures, and hardships. I can sincerely say I'm going to hate seeing you go. There are several things I'm really going to miss about you, and I have to thank you for the several lessons you taught me.

The things I'm going to miss about you are numerous, but I can think to name a few. Being able to role out of bed ten minutes before class starts because I live so close to campus. All my friends living within a two-minute radius of me, and being able to walk home to my dorm after a night out. Dancing around a fraternity house to all my favorite songs till one in the morning when I had an 8 am the next day. Taking naps between classes because my dorm was only a 5 minute walk from my class. The stupid things that made memories but probably killed my GPA, like going out when I had a paper or a test the next day. Lazy sundays by the pool or just spent goofing off with my friends. Running into everyone I know at the dinning hall and sitting there for hours catching up. The simple innocence of being a freshman, and being able to use “I'm a freshman" or “Well it's only my freshman year" as an excuse for anything.

The list of things you taught me is probably most important. Things like what days are a good time to do laundry in the dorms (Tuesdays at 10am) and what days are really bad (Sundays at 5 pm). You taught me how to be more independent, how to manage my time, and how to prioritize what was important and what was not. I have to actually work out if I don't want to gain weight, because despite what everyone says, the freshman fifteen is real. To study, and in college, you have to do your homework to make good grades. You also taught me the harder lessons, like to be careful where I park, because they're not kidding when they say they'll tow. Or not everyone wants to be your friend, and when it seems like the world has turned against you, you'll find the people that will stick by you through thick and thin. Things I thought would never happen happened, like missing my family and hometown so much, and I realized that sometimes people change into a different person all together.

It all seems surreal that it's coming to a close. My last lesson you taught me is don't blink because before you know it, your freshman year is over. Freshman year, you'll be hard to beat. Thank you for everything.