Dear roomies,

First off, this letter is never easy to write. I have so many amazing things to tell you and thank you for in such a short amount of space. Sometimes it feels like words can't even describe how lucky I am to have you in my life. You've been by my side since that awkward first encounter in our classes and I've been blessed to know you since. You've seen me cry until the sun comes up, laugh loud until our RA tells us to be quiet because it's after quiet hours, and do stupid things we usually end up regretting later. You push me to be a better person everyday and inspire me to do better than I have in the past.

I'm thankful for you. I've never had a sister, so sharing clothes and giving advice is a whole new concept to me. I've never had someone looking out for me the way you do. Obviously my parents look out for me, but we all know our mom and dad can sometimes be helicopter parents and hover too much. You give me space. After a long day of classes, you know when I just need to sit in my room and binge watch my favorite Netflix show. You can sense when I'm stressed and take into account how sensitive I can be when my schedule is overflowing. You also pick up on when I'm lonely and need someone to hang out with. In that case, your door is always open and I feel welcomed to sit on your floor. We could rant about our lives and the struggles of being a young adult until the birds start to chirp and I wouldn't mind. I'm not usually a morning person so I apologize for my grogginess and my terrible mood. On that note, thank you for making sure I'm up and ready for class. If it's one thing college students have in common, it's that 8 am's are the worst and should be illegal. You make waking up in the morning fun though. There's something comforting about waking up at the same time as your best friends and starting a new day. Thank you for those 8 am dance parties and a good start to my day.

I know we don't always get along. No one likes it when their stuff is messed with or if their food is eaten without notice. It's frustrating and a pet peeve. Thank you for communicating and letting me know if something is wrong or bothering you. Communication is key to surviving in a small apartment with a kitchen that can barely fit three people. Thank you for not being slobs and being respectful. I would go insane if there were dirty plates all over the kitchen and the TV was on fun blast while I try to take my daily afternoon nap.

Most importantly, I'm grateful for the times when you tell me things I don't want to hear. Sometimes I can get full of myself and don't see things you do. As tough as it is, I need to hear the comments such as, "He's not good for you." You see things I'm blind to noticing. I hope you will always tell me your opinions on the guys I bring home and how I'm spending my time. For someone who lives with me, you know what's best for me and what can turn into a toxic environment. I see you as a protector and a role model. When all goes wrong and it feels as though my life is plummeting into despair, you always extend a friendly, non judgmental hand. We discuss what went wrong, learn from it, and laugh until we forget why I was even sad to begin with.

You are my best friends, the people I look to when conflict arises. Not a day goes by when I don't think about how lucky I am to live with you all. Not many people get the chance to say they lived with their best friends so thank you. Thank you for being there, thank you for supporting me, thank you for loving me.

Sincerely,

Your roomie