Dear Longstreet-Means 3rd South Hall,

It’s been three months since we’ve moved into college. First semester is coming to a close and I just wanted to take a moment to thank each and every one of you all. I can personally attest to the fact that college is a difficult transition for most. However, living with you all has made this experience such a blessing. During the first month of college, when all you can remember sometimes is your family or friends from home, you made it easier to move my mind away from home. I can proudly say that I have made some of my closest friends here in college in my residence hall and I am forever grateful.

The dynamic of college dorm life is a special one. It’s one of the only times where everyone is a 10-second walk from your room. I am especially thankful for the collaborative and close environment of my residence hall. Whether it is coming home from the library after studying for an exam for four hours or just chilling in the hallways, there is always someone there to talk to.

They are the people you can rant to after a bad day, the people who will make Target runs with you on the weekends just to stock up on cereal and chocolate, the ones who will give you bear hugs just to show how much they care, the ones who will share their sour patch with you even after you ate their first bag, the ones who will always be down to drink chamomile tea and do mint facials at 2 AM, the ones who will study and motivate you when you have an upcoming exam but then always be willing to break out in dance afterwards.

Most of all, they are your biggest supporters and cheerleaders.

Living in Longstreet-Means has blessed me with the opportunity to meet people from all over the world: France, India, Turkey, China and the list goes on. When you are hungry, people are so willing to share food from home. I recently had these amazing Serbian cheese puff pastries from one of my close friends and it has made me so much more open to trying new foods. Living with such a diverse and talented group of people is a humbling experience, and it allows us to communicate a myriad of perspectives on a wide spectrum of topics.

Time ceases to exist when you are with the ones you love. The love and bond that has grown between us as a hall is ineffable. But none of this would have even been possible without the immense dedication and support from our lovely SAs and RAs. Their advice, guidance, and friendship is immeasurable. Without a doubt, I can speak on behalf of all of our residents when I say that we are eternally indebted to their love and kindness.

Love,

Shivangi