Dear Freshman Year,

Thanks for the roller coaster ride. I have never felt more stressed, excited, frustrated and happy within a period of a couple months. You pushed me to my limits. You threw me into situations where I had to adjust and adapt. You guided me to find things I am passionate about and amazing people that I now consider to be some of my best friends.

About nine months ago, I came to school with expectations and a sense of how college life would be. I knew this year would be an adjustment. I knew that I would be on my own, forced to make new friends and develop a daily routine. I knew the classes would be challenging and that I would spend late nights in the library. And as the year went on, I knew that I had picked the right school.

What I didn’t know at the beginning, was I would meet some of the best people I know in the most unexpected ways. I didn’t know how fun Country Night at Brick Street always is or magic of mac and cheese bites. I didn’t know that it is possible to survive calculus. And I certainly didn’t know that this year would pass in the blink of an eye.

So, thank you freshman year. Thank you for teaching me that it is okay to not have it all figured out. College is a time to learn and take advantage of opportunities that are not available anywhere else. When something does not work out as planned, the only thing you can do is reevaluate and find another way to reach the end goal. It is okay to struggle and in the end, it will make you stronger and more successful.

Thank you for showing me the importance of a strong work ethic. When I first got to college, I realized quickly that I am extremely average in the realm of academic achievement. While this was intimidating at first, I realized there will always be someone smarter and faster, so to be successful you must out-work everyone else.

And most importantly, thank you for the learning experience of a lifetime. As cliché as it sounds, I learned more than I could have ever imagined about myself and those around me. I learned that I am happiest when I am able to make others happy. I learned that laundry pods can do detrimental things to one’s clothing and I truly embraced the benefits of a good cup of coffee.

Freshman year, somehow you were nothing and everything like I expected you to be. You exceeded my expectations and pushed me outside my comfort zone. While my fair share of calculus exams and long research papers that caused a bit of stress, you reminded me that I am lucky enough to have the opportunity to pursue higher education.

So, cheers to you, freshman year! Thank you for all the memories and shenanigans, you managed to set the standard pretty high for the next three years.

With Love,

Lauren