Dear SHU,

A year has come and gone. Some of us it was our first year in college, some of us now have multiple years under our belts and for others, this is our last year. But I just wanted to say a few things before we leave you for the warm summer months we will be spending at home. Though you may drive me crazy sometimes, I really do love a lot of things about you. I have grown here and you have given me so many memories that I will never forget. So…

Thank you for connecting me with my best friends.

I seriously don’t know what I would do about them. You forced me into these tiny little rooms that don’t have proper ventilation and called them dorms. I never thought that they would become like home. My room was where an entire friend group was formed and it really made it hard to leave. I will never forget that little room that I thought was going to make me claustrophobic on that first scary August day.

Thank you for hiring the nicest people to work here.

Seriously, for what you lack in the logistics department your human resources staff has done a seriously remarkable job. My SHU experience would not have been the same if I didn’t get to have conversations with Sandy in 63s, talk to Will as he made me my omelet after my 8 AM, or have the Linda’s workers know my order by heart. Also, shout out to the Linda's workers for dealing with hundreds of drunk people on the weekends. Though not all of my professors have been my favorites, some of the ones I have had know my name, and I’m not just a number. They are always willing to help to make sure I succeed.

Thank you for having a Starbucks on campus and for Linda's being open till 2 AM.

I would be a zombie if it wasn’t for Outtakes. And I would go to bed with the drunchies on the weekend without Lindas. You sure know how to get me to spend all of my declining dollars don’t you? This coffee is my lifeline, especially during finals week. Sometime my Keurig just doesn’t do the job on it’s own. Sometimes I just really, really need a venti iced coffee. But seriously though, now all we need is a Dunkin to really make this school the best.

Thank you for having absolutely no parking.

Before I came to SHU, I was an absolutely terrible parker (and let’s be honest, I still am). But, because you have absolutely zero parking, my parking abilities have become more than subpar. I now know every illegal parking trick in the book and how to avoid a ticket, and how to beg Public Safety to drop my tickets.

Thank you for being my home away from home.

For some us, SHU our first choice and for others maybe not so much. But I couldn’t be happier with my decision to spend my four years here. Despite you taking all of my money, giving me countless nights of stress and for shutting down every party within a ten-minute radius, you are my home. And even though I won’t see you until August, I’ll admit I’ll really miss you. Thank you for everything SHU, you really are awesome, even without the Star.