Today I stripped my wall from the decorations my roommate and I color coordinated before we even picked our classes. I emptied out my 'fun bin' of clothes that saved me every time my favorite fraternity announced a themed party. I left my door open while I packed up to leave my cinderblock room I grew to call home. The entire time I was throwing clothes into Home-Depot cardboard boxes, my hall mate's came in and out of my room. They either came in for a quick hug or spent an hour sitting on my twin sized bed talking about their 8 AM; and when they left, they said 'bye love you'.This is when it finally hit me how lucky I was to live on this floor.

My parents warned me that a hall full of teenage girls probably wouldn't end well. I heard rumors about the drama and a 'divided floor' when cliques developed. I was scared I was setting myself up for round two of Mean Girls. This isn't us. I don't know how this school does it, and if it really is "random", but somehow the most genuine and caring girls I have ever met ended up on one floor, and I was lucky enough to be surrounded by them me all year.

It's the small moments I am going to miss the most. When our roommates go to bed early or you need a place to spread out, Carolina girls do our homework on the hallway's carpet. Sitting along the walls laughing with your friends very, very early in the morning makes homework just bearable.

In Caro, your closet is everyone's closet. Through out the year I bought clothes for myself I couldn't wait for my friends to wear. The days I walk back into my room and find the clothes i lent away with a sticky note attached reading 'thanks for letting me borrow, hope your day is going well xoxo" made my day. Eventually, I collected a plethora of silly thank you or 'came to see you and you weren't here' notes.

Let's be honest, waking up 'the morning after' is something no one looks forward to. At least while we lay in our beds we'll get good laughs watching the stories of our nights come alive in the *exclusive* Caroline First Floor Snapchat group.

When the day ends and our shower shoes make that smacking noise (you know what I mean) us girls head to our hall bathroom to shower. I sometimes hope that theres someone else in a shower stall or two already. I like listening to the music they play and avidly fell along with a podcast my friend had been playing while she showered.

And at the end of the night, with three to four of us at the sink, we try to talk; we can't because of the toothpaste dripping out of our mouths. Then we wash our face and head to bed, but before we leave we tell our hall sisters 'love you sweet dreams'

And in the morning, it's the same thing. Some shower, new girls meet up at the sink and brush their teeth. They can't make it through it without laughing when they try to talk. They wash their face and before they leave they say 'love you have a nice class, you got this'

I have never been, in my life, surrounded by this much love.

When my roommate and I chose housing, I thought she was out of her mind to pref the oldest dorm on campus. Eventually she convinced me it was worth it for the *experience*; and it for sure was. I wouldn't trade having 40 shoulders to cry on and friends to cuddle with for my own shower any day. Overall, i'm going to miss the casualty of barging into someone's room and begging for snacks the most.

One of our very own said it best, "my favorite club I'm involved in on campus is living on this floor." Thank you for the endless laughs and the impromptu dance parties on a Tuesday. Thank you for giving me a shoulder or ten to cry on when the boys next door messed with us yet again.

Thank you for opening your arms up to me endlessly. Meeting all of you was a blessing. I don't think I would have met my best friends and future bridesmaids anywhere else. In a few days when we get ready to hand over a keys, it will not be the end. We are forever family, and will always be able to bond over the mold on the top of our closets.

I love you all to the moon and back.