As the school year comes to an end, I cannot help but get a little emotional. There is something truly special and irreplaceable about your first house, especially in a college town. So I would just like to take a moment to reminisce, and appreciate the place I have been lucky enough to call my home for the past year.

Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to share this past year with amazing roommates and build friendships that I know will last a lifetime.

Thank you for making me grow up just a little bit more. Over the course of this year I have gained new independence and responsibility that you just cannot get from the dorms or sorority house.

Thank you for showing me that old does not equate to bad. Sure, you could have used a little renovation, and there were a few times I questioned the stability of my caved in ceiling, but you have so much character. This character is not something you can find in brand new apartments. You have been a home to countless college students over many decades, and you are still standing proud.

Thank you for teaching me how a little creativity and improvisation can go along way. There were many times the roomies and I learned that in desperate times a lamp and lots of blankets can help deal with the poor heating.

Thank you for all of the school-night sleepovers. My high school self would have been very envious of you. The late night movies and pillow talk were definitely worth the tired mornings.

Thank you for showing me some of the best tailgating I have ever been a part of. Game days would not have been the same without you.

Thank you for the scenic walk your neighborhood provided me every morning on the way to class. I will miss walking past those empty beer cans on the sidewalks, reminding me of the fun that went on the night before.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to become way more domestic than I would have ever imagined. Who would have thought that in one year I would step up my cooking game from PB&Js and DiGiorno's to some Pinterest-worthy meals?

Thank you for all of the wine nights spent laughing and crying with my best friends. You have witnessed many secrets and stories shared.

Thank you for teaching me how to share small living quarters and new responsibilities with multiple people and personalities. Four people living under one roof for the first time is harder than it sounds, but we made it work.

Thank you for all the summer night bonfires spent roasting marshmallows and hanging out till sunrise.

Thank you for helping me accept the fact that a little dirt and a few bugs never killed anybody.

Thank you for the perfect porch that, on sunny days, convinced us that laying out and tanning were far more important than finishing that paper.

Most importantly, thank you for the countless memories you have provided me. You have become an unforgettable part of my college experience, and l would not have wanted to spend this past year anywhere else.