For some, the dorm life can either be nerve-wracking, pretentious or even taxing. When in the course of every human being’s education they take that one step out of high school (or in my case, community college) to a state university, this feeling has been known to escalate but, in several cases, been proven to be false. When I was campaigning for a student leadership position, I found along the way that community-building was relatively fun and easy. By the end of the fall semester, I told one of my friends back home that while I may only know about one-third of the people in the building, I more than likely knew just about every face. Several of my friends I could tell from the beginning weren’t fans of the dorm life, and by all means, no two snowflakes are alike. There were always parts of the dorm life that even I didn’t enjoy, and people in the dorm that I didn’t exactly enjoy seeing every day. But such is human nature.

Expressing gratitude is one thing, but letting the individuals who were the first to welcome somebody to an unfamiliar place know the impact they have had on a person’s life is another. And if you are like me, you would likely (but hypothetically) have a collection of world book encyclopedias. Here is what I have to say:

Dear friends,

Three months of being parted from a group of individuals that I’ve grown so accustomed to feels like eternity. We are all moving on from here and most of us will be in different places next year. It saddens me to know that we are in the wake of an intense period of book-cracking and paper-writing that is eventually going to close out the year before the flash of our eyes. It’s like a clear day that suddenly becomes pitch-black and overcast outside.

Thank you for staying up late into the morning with me to watch movies and travel to Waffle House. Thank you for tolerating my rowdy and sometimes reckless behavior and taking my blunt jokes with a grain of salt. Thank you for going with me to our home games and screaming as our team wins. Thank you for standing by when I yell at the TV because my favorite NFL team is losing. Thank you for listening to me complain about how bad my life is and how self-pity isn’t attractive. Thank you for teaching me how to be self-emancipated and how to step out of my comfort zone-- it has really made all the difference in the world. Thank you for hugging me when I’m depressed and for laughing with me when I’m happy. Thank you for caring for me when I’m sick. Thank you for not letting me fall when I feel like I’m going to. Thank you for the positive vibes and not allowing a hint of negativity in the group.

Phone numbers and social media, while great forms of communication, mean nothing to me in your presence, and it just isn’t the same when it comes to

long distance. I wish nothing less than positive vibes, success and health and happiness as you all progress through life. One day I hope to cross paths again. Like I said, I think I’m going to be sad. Please know that you all are awesome and do not let any human being tell you otherwise.