For me, watching the people I love close monumental chapters in their lives is an absolute privilege. Seeing some of my best friends glow with pride as they finished their last college classes ever, has made my heart both laugh and cry over the past few weeks. I suppose this is because of the juxtaposition of them ending their college career while mine is just going on its final stretch. Many things are ending, and endings can be really hard. Even though saying goodbye is painful, closing chapters and moving forward has helped me grow and learn in so many different ways. I didn't learn quite how much until I was able to reflect on my high school days.

In high school I had no idea who was, or who I wanted to be. I walked on egg shells around people, carefully selecting my words and calculating how people would respond to me. This was an unfortunate result of complete insecurity that I had garnered from my middle school years. I became so worried about my opinions being wrong and criticized, that I stopped sharing my opinions all together. I valued other peoples' views on the world above my own, and for a long time felt really lost.

These feelings followed me to my freshman year of college, but were immediately shattered when I was welcomed in by the upperclassmen in the theatre department. Before I left for college, people told me that no one would care about who I was in high school. I was told that in college I would be able to reinvent myself, that I could be who I wanted to be and create my own path. And HOLY COW they were right.

When I got to college, I started sharing my opinions - and people accepted them, I started being myself - and people accepted me, I started creating a future for myself - and I am so excited to live it out fully with friends who have my back forever. High school was rough, but without those experiences I wouldn't be the person I am today. I wouldn't have the confidence to chase the career of my dreams, and I certainly wouldn't be brave enough to put myself first.

This week I had to say goodbye to my seniors. I said goodbye to the people who welcomed me in first as a freshman, to the people who took me under their wings and basically taught me how to survive college. These seniors have become some of my best friends that I know I'll have for a lifetime. These people have been such blessings in my life, because they have helped lead me to who I am today.

Man, I love college.