I was ready for college at the close of my sophomore year of high school. When I finally graduated it was like thankfully the time had come and I was ready to jump into the world of being an adult and getting to do cool adult things. Such as getting myself to school, cooking, buying groceries; all the cool things our parents have been doing for longer than we’ve been alive.

Moving from a small town of 25 kids to my class to a few hundred was shocking. I wasn’t nervous to make friends per say, but I was nervous because I wasn’t suddenly the top dog, I was just another small town girl trying to make her way into the big world.

I happened upon 2 girls, Katie Pennell and Morgan Waggner, who friended me immediately. They welcomed me in with open arms, inside jokes, and showed me the love I needed to keep working hard.

I remember thinking that I needed to make friends my age because I knew a time would come when they would leave Columbia to go finish living their lives and I remember my heart breaking to imagine a time such as that but knew it would be so far away that I would never have to think about it. Fast forwarded 5 finals weeks later, 2 spring breaks, 3 Christmas breaks, countless laughs, countless tears, heartbreaks, and calories consumed I’m facing the reality that my friends are about to move on.

While I’m so supportive and impressed and happy for the fact that my friends are all motivated, successful, and driven, I have the selfish nagging feeling that I want them to stay here with me until I graduate next May. I can make it fun, right? I can make you want to stay and give you a good reason to stay, right?

But this isn’t about me this is about you. This is about how proud I am of you for graduating. This is about how lucky I am to have shared my life with you for the last 3 years and how thankful I am that you chose me. You chose me and I chose you. Thank you for letting me in with open arms and love and laughs that I never looked back.

Congratulations for getting into your dream program. Thank you for setting the bar high and making me feel so comfortable around you. Thank you for defying the terms of what I use to define as a friend and thank you for making me grow. Thanks for always listening to me cry when I don’t know what I want to do with my life or when I need someone to listen to me.

Thank you for always being my forever Mexican dates and for always laughing at my laughs. Thank you for embracing me with wide open arms and always having my back. Thank you for being with me in the good times and the bad times, the times were we knew we were inseparable. I’m not sure what our lives would be like now if I hadn’t messaged ya’ll on Twitter over 3 years ago. The mutual friends, late night snacks, and sleepy tears just wouldn’t be the same without you.

You both have done so much for me that I can’t even begin to thank you. From being roommates to sharing stories, my life has been forever tied to yours. Thank you for the mutual friends who turned into family such as Valerie; LOVE YOU GIRL, so proud of you and I can’t wait to see you in Springfield Mo. You are going to love it. You are going to have so much fun and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for you love bug! Just remember to keep your hair long, don’t let others disappoint you or let you down because it unnecessary. You are beautiful and smart and talented and your future is so bright. Keep family in the forefront and make sure to make times for those who love you and you love. Love you long time.

Brandon; thank you for always picking me up when I’m down. Thank you for reminding me how beautiful and “sexy” I look. Thank you for introducing me to new things and expanding my horizons. Thank you for the London Fog and thank you for understanding my coffee addiction and thanks for reminding me hard I’ve worked to get to where I am and how hard you’ve worked to get to where you are. Whatever you end up doing after May I know that they will be so thankful to have you. You are a gem and a golden light. Love you long time.

To my other senior friends, I love you and I will miss you. Petrina; thank you for sitting next to me in French 1100. Thank you for being one of the first friends that I made in my classes and thank you for always understanding exactly what I needed. Thank you for always making me study, teaching me how to do French flashcards, and just upmost being a loving friend. Thank you for being my roommate, teaching me new things, and thank you for always being with me when I need it. Thank you for always being up for a dinner and talking about boys. I love you so much and I’m so proud of you. Love you long time.

Morgan; thank you for the shared love of coffee and tv shows. Thank you for your love of food and thank you for always being up to do whatever, whenever. Thank you for being my day partner in crime and thank you for making me laugh my guts out. Your cheer, love, and spirit, is unforgettable. The way that you are able to make a room feel better is one of my favorite qualities about you. I can’t wait for you to make your way in Springfield and find your passion. You are going to have so much fun and I’m so beyond proud of you. Love you.

Katie; thank you for your love. Thank you for always being you and making everyone feel special. Thank you for making me find my passion in working out. I’m so proud of you for getting into pharmacy school and being so driven in your life. You’ve passed your loves and passion to everyone that you meet. Don’t ever stop smiling and keep your chin up always. Remember your worth and don’t stop demanding that.

As you head off into your future, don’t forget the tailgates and laughs we’ve shared. Don’t forget to check in on me from time to time and don’t forget to call me and talk to me when you need a refresh. You are so important to me, I have so much love for you seniors. Enjoy your summer and your life. You’ve finally made it. Life will never quite be the same but for that, you’ll find your path and exactly what you need to be doing. Don’t think about what everyone else is doing because you’re doing exactly what you need to be doing.

Love you long time, your homegrown friend Cassidy.