To my freshman year dorm mates,
We were a lucky bunch. Not everybody hits it off with his or her roommate, let alone the whole floor and building, but we did.
We were all so close that first year of college. We couldn't eat a meal without at least a table of 20 people, and our lounge was known for its legendary movie nights and family dinners. Everybody knew who we were and that legacy still follows us around today. We were "that" dorm, and as annoying as it was at times, I wouldn't trade being "that" dorm for any other experience.
Whether you were a friend from another floor or someone on my own floor, you were always there for me. When I got glowstick fluid in my eye, you laughed but helped me wash it out. When I was extremely sick on my birthday, you all got me tea and food and helped me celebrate. When I was upset about a boy, you wiped my tears away even if it interfered with your other commitments. When I had a test grade to celebrate, you were all there to join the festivities.
You all have always been there, which I will forever be grateful for, and this continues to be true today with only one semester left together.
Throughout the past few years, we have continued to support each other despite the stupid fights and drama we've had. A lot of us went our separate ways and made other friends, but that didn't affect our relationships and those groups of friends become friendly with each other. We even have our semi-annual reunions, and we always find a way to bring back the inside jokes from our first year.
So who says you can't go home? We were each other's homes that first year, and we do go back to each other. We go home every time we want friends to celebrate with or need shoulders to cry on. We've been there through each other's heartbreaks, romances, rough patches, achievements and more.
I'm confident that while the time we go without each other and the distance between us may increase, we'll continue to be there in the next chapter of each other's lives with jobs, weddings and families.
I remember the last night of spring semester our first year. Some of us were in the lounge, listening to music and recounting some of our favorite memories from the past year when we heard banging on the door.
We investigated the situation and found it was a group of seniors visiting all of their favorite spots on campus. We let them in and returned to the lounge to finish listening to the somewhat ironic lyrics of "Daylight" by Maroon 5.
Here I am waiting
I'll have to leave soon
Why am I holding on?
We knew this day would come
We knew it all along
How did it come so fast?
This is our last night but it's late
And I'm trying not to sleep
Cause I know, when I wake, I will have to slip away
And when the daylight comes, I'll have to go
But tonight I'm gonna hold you so close
Cause in the daylight, we'll be on our own
But tonight I need to hold you so close
I remember saying how that would be us in a few years—we'd be those seniors running through campus to visit our favorite spots as students one last time.
I just didn't think those few years would happen so quickly. Now it's our turn to relive our favorite moments while making even more amazing memories together.
Thank you. Thank you for not being as scary as I thought you would be. I was terrified moving in three and half years ago. I didn't know what to expect from all of you, especially my floor, but my expectations were completely blown out of the water within the first few months. And the most amazing part?
You all continue to exceed those expectations today.
Love,
A very nostalgic senior dorm mate
