To The Kids On My Freshman Dorm Floor

So, that's it. Freshman year at St. Bonaventure University has come and gone, and so have we.

I want to dedicate this "letter" to you, my freshman dorm hall-mates. By the time you all read this, I will be making the drive back to my home in New Jersey, while some of you are also going back home, or finishing finals.

So, as we all start to take down the posters on our walls, and pack our clothes away for good, I wanted to share my gratitude for you all.

The first day was, in a word, awkward. We were all of a sudden thrown into this small community called "Rob 1" and the ice breakers began. I looked around and tried to silently judge who was friend-worthy, which I'm sure the rest of you did, too. My roommate was the only one I really knew, so it seemed to be me and her against the school! At this time, I had no idea how much I would grow to love you all and had no ideas how fun it would be to hang with all of you.

What was cool about our floor was most of us were journalism majors, so that meant we were in a lot of classes together. This made the transition process easier, for when we had a big paper due, we could all work on it together. I am so grateful help was just a door away, and I could rely on you all for someone to read over my work, or just to hear me complain about a ridiculous assignment I couldn't possibly get done (but I somehow always did).

We all spent a lot of time together first semester, from going out on Halloween to cheering at Bonaventure basketball games. We all took trips to the dining hall together and bonded while laughing over poor quality fries. You all were my first friends, and I can't express how cool it was to have you all live so close to one another. We still weren't quite used to "college life," but we were able to help each other through the process. I can't thank you enough for being by my side while I learned the in's and out's of St. Bonaventure.

At first I looked forward to the breaks, for they were a chance to see my friends at home and catch up. When it came time for winter break, I found myself wanting to go home less. After the holidays passed and I had seen my extended family, I found myself longing for my tiny dorm room, and the kids who were constantly bursting through the door. This started a string of "I miss you!" texts to my hall-mates, and a countdown to returning to campus.

Second semester seemed to be different, but a good different! We all were excited to see one another, and it started to feel like we were all old friends. We shared stories of what we did over break, but all agreed we were happy to be back. Being away from each other seemed to bring us closer together, and I am so grateful for our friendships.

This semester helped me open up more to some of you. Since this was my first time being away from home for so long, I found myself missing a lot of the comforts I had there. When I was stressed and needed help, I could always walk down the hall and find someone willing to hear me out. This was something I could have never expected from my dorm floor when I first moved in. I would always listen to people, and in return, they would listen to me.

We all realized that there are other freshman on campus, so we did go out and make friends that didn't live on our floor. I would see some of you walk to class or pass by in the dining hall with your new friends. This didn't stop us from a quick wave or a "hello" before continuing on our way. It seemed no matter how far anyone strayed from the floor, everyone always came back to the all of us on our floor (or maybe that's just because they live there, but you like to think it's for the friendship).

Most people look forward to the weekend and to going out to parties, but I felt differently. My favorite nights were those spent laughing with others in someone's room, critiquing Netflix shows, dancing to throwback jams, or simply sitting in the lobby watching a sports game. I can't thank you all enough for the smiles you gave me this year. You are all such great people and I look forward to seeing you all next year!

I feel so lucky to have been a part of such a great floor my freshman year. I know I have my parents and brothers back home in New Jersey, but I know in Olean, New York, I have a great group of people I can call my family.