Looking back to nearly nine months ago, I would have never imagined that the people I worked with would be the support system that I would desperately cling to my sophomore year. I would never have expected that when I was sad, they would sit up with me studying, or that four of us would fit together in a bed clearly made for two. These people who were strangers not too long ago became something much more than I could have ever hoped or dreamed of having.

I don't know when it happened, but I am so blessed that it did.

That first week of getting to know you all was exceptionally awkward. We were co-workers, but we were all still a bunch of goofy college kids that really had no idea what was going on. Sooner rather than later, someone decided that it was OK to be weird with each other. And thus ensued the random late night runs to Taco Bell/Steak and Shake/Whataburger that depleted our bank accounts, the hour-long staff meetings (that really could have been emails) and late night relaxing movie sessions. If seeing each other in staff wasn't enough, we ate every meal together and studied together. There really was no escaping these amazingly wonderful and strange human beings that became more than normal co-workers or even just friends.

It's beyond me how a group of people who are all incredibly awkward can grow to mean so much. You have all taught me to be so much more than I am. When I was full of doubt, you pushed me to be better than what I was. You taught me that there was more to life than just existing. While this past year, and this past month especially, have been some of the most difficult times of my life, your never-failing strength and love carried me through. Watching you all grow into better students, mentors and people has just been an incredible sight, and a journey I was so glad to be a part of. Our late night talks about love and fear and all the things we hoped to accomplish will be the things I cherish for a while, and some of the things I will miss the most.

So thank you for being my family while I wasn't at home. For being the people I told my greatest joys and deepest sorrows to. Thank you for loving me enough to tell me I was wrong, or being the shoulder to cry on when I made mistakes. I don't know where I would have been this past year without you all.

This next year will be different. And that doesn't mean bad. We may not all talk, but even having you all in my lives for this short amount of time was truly one of the greatest joys I could have possibly had during my college career.

There really can never be enough words to describe how much you all mean to me and how much you have changed my life. And honestly I hate being overly emotional and sentimental and this is slowly becoming that.

So all I can really say is

RHWROD.