Dear freshman year,

Let me begin with my gratitude for quite simply the best year of my life. Thank you for bringing me endless memories and for allowing me to find my home away from home.

Truth is, you weren’t always a joy. 8 a.m. classes and several all-nighters were never easy to take on, but you pushed me to my limits. You allowed me to find unwavering strength within myself to continually push myself to try harder. Setting goals for myself and striving to achieve each one with diligence, you allowed me to discover a new side of myself. Although the stress sometimes led to late night Taco Bell feasts or extra large pizzas, I guess in the end I can say it was worth it.

Thank you for the twin sized bed and crammed dorm room. Although eight months ago I would have told you how much I was dreading this change in living situations, now I could not imagine anything else. Living five feet from my best friend got me through so many nights. Thank you for late night rant sessions, and for extra long showers when needed. Thank you for movie nights and for eating obscene amounts of food with me. Thank your for never letting me be alone, and for being the sole reason my home away from home became such a comfortable place. Thank you freshman year for blessing me with the most amazing roommate for it wouldn’t have been the same without her.

Thank you for teaching me to live in the moment. Thank you for teaching me lessons, even if some were harder than others. For all the times I never got to bed on time, thank you for making the nights unforgettable. Thank you for 2 a.m. greasy foods and for early morning regrets. Thank you for Advil and for coffee, they saved my life too many times. Thank you for teaching me that living in the present allows me to live life to its fullest. I promise to not let these next three years fly by, because man, did I love every moment.

Most importantly, thank you for allowing me to find the most incredible people this past year. From my roommates to the random people I found along the way, there isn’t a single one I am not eternally grateful for. Their endless support and friendship led me to find myself in places I wasn’t even searching. Whether it was mutual friends or sports rivalries that brought us together, I wouldn’t trade them for the world. To these friends, thank you for putting up with me through whatever the year brought, both highs and lows. Thank you for being the reason saying goodbye to this year is so hard.

Thank you, freshman year for scaring the hell out of me once upon a time, and in turn for developing that fear into the ability to take risks. Those risks became some of the most incredible memories that I will hold onto for the rest of my life. So freshman year, it is that time to give you a bittersweet goodbye. Thank you for preparing me for the next few years and know that you will forever have a place in my heart.