Going away for college sometimes seems scary, it seems overwhelming when you look around and you know no one on your floor, no one in your classes or most times even your roommate. The best part though, everyone feels the same way. Everyone is starting this journey alone and we all need someone to help us through. Coming home for the longest time I’ve been home since before leaving I realized, the people that I eat every meal with, go to class with, spend late nights with and explore my new little world with, won’t be with me for almost a month. College gave me another family in such a short amount of time, this is my letter to them.

Dear 6^th floor of Freeman Hall,

Thank you. Thank you for giving me a new home and a new family, one where we are all growing together and experiencing the new ups and downs of responsibility and living on our own. Thank you for helping me through the struggles of only my first semester and thank you for making it a great first one.

Thank you for exploring with me the new sides of freedom. From the first of my partying life to the late night walks to get food and late night sessions of studying, talking and movies. You guys helped to put smiles on my faces when I am stressed, upset or missing home. It has been great to sit in a room and laugh, laugh a lot over nothing. We’ve made bonds from the simple late night sessions in a room, sharing stories about one another, where were from and how we came to be. When my boyfriend broke up with me you stood by my side to help me feel better. Distracted me from the sadness and made me laugh. You stood by my side when I cried and made me laugh when it ended. You stood by me to help me push through and to help me grow stronger. I made friends that I can talk to about anything and know that you will be here for me until the end. We’ve celebrated birthdays and we’ve celebrated holidays, we have gone through it all.

From having my own room, I thought I liked the space. I liked that I could do what I wanted without waking someone up and I liked that it was all mine, but I gained a roommate. I gained a roommate that has been there for me after a short amount of time. Staying up late with me to keep my head out of things and to help me smile, hanging out with me all the time and being able to sit in silence without awkward tension but also spark conversations that can go on for hours. Roommates that get one another are a great gift. I feel like I have another sister and it helps that our hair color is similar. Thank you for being the best roommate I could ask for and helping me out so much when we have known each other a short time. You are the best roommate I could have asked for.

Thank you to everyone for making meals feel like Christmas dinner with my family because we all gather around to laugh and talk about life while being there through everything together. It’s only been three months but it feels so much longer than that. You have given me comfort, you have given me love, happiness, strength when I was weak, you have touched my heart and for that, you are all amazing people that I wish I would’ve had longer in my life. At the end of the day you are my new family, we see each other at the worst and the best. We see each other first thing in the morning and last thing at night and that says a lot. I found people who are super passionate like I am, people who have goals in life to go out and do great things. You all motivate me to do better and keep working super hard on being a musician. Thank you for giving me the gifts of life that come from relationships that help me to grow.

I came to college expecting to make friends that I would keep forever, people that had similar goals, who got me as a person as I was evolving in my own way. After three months I know I found so much more than that. I found a new family, a lifelong family. I went away to school for things like this. For ways to meet people and to find like-minded people who help to make me a better person. All I hope is that I am doing the same for all of you. I hope that at the end of the day I return the favor of love, happiness, strength and confidence. Thank you for making this first semester an amazing one and being there for me always.

Love,

Kaylin xoxo