Ahhh August... one of the most bittersweet months of the year. A month filled of sadness and excitement. No one wants summer to end but the promise of a new school year and new opportunities is just around the corner.

In high school, summer was nothing that special. You remained in the same town year round with the same friends doing the same things. But since going to college, summer is now a whole new ballgame. You've spent about nine months in a new place surrounded by new people. In those nine months, you get to pick and choose who you spend your time with, so now summer means you're forced to distance yourself from the people you've become so close to for three whole months. And anyone who isn't a stranger to distance knows that the days quickly begin to feel like years when you're away from those you care about. Whether I'm on the beach or in the city I can't help but think about how excited I am to be able to roam around Main Street or meet up at the dining hall with my friends.

I can’t believe I’m admitting this but I can’t wait for summer to be over. I’d be lying if I said I was excited to wake up for 8 a.m.s or that i'm pumped to spend hours at a time in the library studying for exams or writing papers and eating questionable dining hall food. The thought of how much work that follows this impending school year can be a bit daunting but because of you guys, I'm willing to overlook all of that knowing that we will all be drowning together and will be there to (try) and keep each other afloat.

So for the people reading this that I am eagerly awaiting to see (and you know who you are), I can't begin to thank you enough for making the trek back to school worth it. If you would have asked me a year ago, I would never have guessed that my freshman year would have brought along so many new and special relationships. I have been so fortunate to have met an abundance of truly amazing people. I can't wait for all of the laughs, spontaneous dance parties, Sunday morning recaps at breakfast and sitting on T-Lawn admiring how beautiful our school is and how lucky we are.

To the people that make going back to school worth it, well what else can I say? Thanks for making it worth it. Thanks for making each day in August feel longer than the day before. Thank you for creating a great deal of wild and unforgettable memories with me that make me crave going back to school that much. Here is to another amazing year. See you soon!