I think it's safe to say that this summer flew by a lot quicker than any of us expected it to. For some reason, I thought finishing school in May would've made my summer feel somewhat like forever but, to my surprise, it did the exact opposite. Adjusting to home life after being away for eight months seemed just as hard as adjusting to school life after being home for 18 years. How could that be? I'm not sure, but there're a few things I want you guys to know before I head back.

I missed you...a lot.

I know I didn't show it the way I should've at school or even home, but I definitely missed you. I missed you terribly the first time I left and I'm certain I'm going to miss you just as much this time. Just know that no matter how busy I seem or how bothered I act by you, it is absolutely impossible not to miss the craziness that is my huge, yet incredibly loving family.

It's not you guys.

I know it doesn't feel good to constantly hear me talking about how excited I am to essentially just leave you guys again. It's not because I can't wait to get away from you. It's because college is everything I ever expected it to be and more, and all I want to do is share that excitement with you. For once, I get to do things in my own space my own way and I think you all know that's exactly what I need. Just because I fell in love with college doesn't mean I stopped loving any of you.

Trust that you did a good job with me.

I'm definitely not going to lie and say that you don't have every reason to worry about me as I start my sophomore year. I think we can all agree that I had my fair share of hiccups my freshman year. I just ask that you trust me enough to know that I learned from those mistakes and I'm going to do the right thing. Each and every one of you had a hand in raising me. You did a great job if I do say so myself. So just let me learn from the mistakes I made and the few more I'm sure to make in the next three years.

I owe everything to you.

It's sad to say, but I don't think I've ever sat down and truly said thank you for everything. My mom, my sister, my aunts, my uncles, my cousins - I would be absolutely nothing without your unconditional love and support. You taught me every single thing I know and that's what made going to school and living on my own possible. I'm sorry for not saying it or showing it enough, but everything I am or aspire to be, I owe to each one of you.

Now that I got sappy enough, just know that you guys are always with me. No matter how far I am physically or how distant I seem to be mentally, I will never forget where I came from. In my opinion, I couldn't have been born into anything better. Being away is easy when you have something so amazing to come home to.