Dear Class of 2020,
First of all, just typing that makes me feel like a dinosaur because I can remember when it was 1999. I am writing you this letter in order to prevent you having the same regrets that I do leaving Marshall in May. Just like in high school, I spent the majority of my time working and/or doing school work. I didn't go to any of the sports events, homecoming parades or basically anything that happened on campus. I'm just saying that you should enjoy your years in college. Take a weekend trip with your friends, go to that football game or join a club. Don't be like me and wait until it too late to get involved.
One of the greatest parts of college are the people you meet and the friends you keep. In high school, I guarantee you had a group of friends that you'd grown up with the last four years, but college is a whole new ball game. You will lose touch with your 'best friend' from high school, but the friends that stick around after graduation will be life's greatest blessing. I moved away from home to become a daughter of Marshall. But even through the distance, I still have my best friend. My best friend Justine is literally my lifeline no matter where and what is going on. She is my lifelong friend that I just can't live without. Along with my friends from back home, I have found a new group of friends in Huntington. I've met these people through school and work. The best part about going away for school is that you gain a new friend-family and I don't use that term lightly. My friends are my family. They were there for me when I had no one, and they're still my friends today.
College is the most rewarding and emotionally draining four years of your life. There will be nights that you don't get to sleep because you have too much homework and not enough time. There will be weekends that you spend in the library just to pass one test, but there will be nights that make all the struggle worth it. These nights may come far and few, but these are the nights that you will never forget. When you reflect back on your college years, these will be the memories you share with future friends. College will make you question your place in this world, and that's OK. This is the time to do some serious soul searching. I've never felt so close to knowing exactly who I am, and these past four years have helped me gain this insight.
While I was in college, I ended my first serious relationship, I lost a few very important people, I found my lifelong friends and I found new love. Throughout these four years, I have experienced every emotion in the book. There have been days when I call my mom begging her to let me drop out because I just feel like I'm sinking. I can wholeheartedly say that I am so glad my parents and family helped me work through the hard times. In three weeks, I will walk across that stage as a college graduate. I've completed another chapter of my life and I'm ready to begin a new one. So my final bit of advice for any incoming freshman, come in with an open mind. Have fun and don't take anything too seriously. The great Ferris Bueller always said:
