Dear Gulf Shores, AL,

First of all, I would like to thank you for that Whataburger right before I entered your beautiful oasis. It was much needed after that car ride. Y'all weren't lying when y'all said “Small Town Big Beach” because I've basically laid eyes on every A-State student at least once on top of seeing people I graduated high school with. It would be real helpful if there were signs on the beach as a reminder that walking over half a mile will leave your legs in much pain and when you get to your destination, the walk back is even longer. I need answers as to why there are so many souvenir shops so close to one another or why there are still people investing money in Surf Style shirts. Also, why was the Boardwalk so willingly to house all those college kids? But I can't lie, it was lit. It was completely unnecessary to have huge highway signs saying no alcohol on the beach like the whole world didn't get that memo.

Also, every single restaurant that y'all have isn't that good, so I don't understand why everytime my friends and I decided to eat dinner or lunch, we had to wait for years just for a table. Because of you, Gulf Shores, I'll never stay at a restaurant that tells me the wait is two hours unless it's The Hangout...then I'll wait there forever. Thanks for blessing us with The Hangout and Lulu’s because they are amazing place that is highly recommended. Lower your gas prices and food prices because the beach isn't that special for how expensive things are here.

I'm still in disbelief that in order to have some fun that I have to pay extra just because I'm not an old washed-up 21-year-old yet. It's unfair, and obviously, everyone 18-20 years old is the life of the party. Shoutout to Mud Bugs too for having a DJ the same age as my grandparents. He only disappointed a few times, but, hey, we all have to make a living and I got to dance the night away; so no complaints. I've never witnessed more savage police in my life. Don't believe me? Just drive down the strip and I bet you my last dollar that you'll see at least five college kids pulled over. It's crazy how I could stare out of my 11th-floor window and watch cops searching vehicles. I was casually sitting on the beach and a huge police dune buggy just rolled through like they owned the place. Could y'all get that unnecessary stuff under control?

Thank you, Gulf Shores, for being my first “#SprangBreak16” experience. Thank you for letting me be a basic sorority girl and throwing what I know on your beach. Thank you for allowing me to show off the beach body I worked hard for, but failed miserably at. Thank you for letting me leave without any jail time. Thank you for the endless laughs. Thank you for showing us a good time. Thank you for letting me live life like an irresponsible teenager, but also thank you for making me become more of a responsible adult. Thank you for making me realize that going somewhere with a bunch of college kids, besides college, has its ups, but most definitely its downs. I'm most thankful for the mistakes I made here and the lessons I learned. It's not a goodbye, it's a see you later. Maybe not while in college, but one day, we will surely cross paths again. Stay safe.

P.S. Sorry for all the things my fellow college students broke, and R.I.P. to all those security deposits.