With the Blue-White game being this past weekend, I was fortunate enough to spend part of my day with seniors who I've come to know and love throughout my career here at Penn State. Some of them, I only met this year, and I've watched them embrace what it means to be a Penn Stater. Others, I have known throughout my college career and I've watched how Penn State has molded them into the amazing adults that they were destined to become. With graduation being only two weeks away, I wanted to dedicate this article to the seniors that stole my heart, guided me through my journey as a Penn State undergrad, and showed me what it means to have a heart full of love for my friends and a school that I am so lucky to call my home.

Dear Seniors,

Here it is. Your time has come, and that cap and gown are hopefully hanging elegantly in your closet. I don't know much about graduation ceremonies, because I never graduated with the traditional cap and gown attire as a high school grad, but I'm sure this one is quite different. You must be feeling like: this is it, like you're ready to finally be an adult, to go out and face the world, and do "real people things". You're not a kid anymore. But you knew that, and you've known that for a while. And the truth is, you grew up a long time ago -- a lot longer than you realized.

I've watched you all grow up, through all the times you helped me when I was stressed, and when you gave me advice on the best places to get drunk food, or the best places to study during finals week. I lived through your experiences, and I've used them to guide myself, and to make sure I was on the right track. You have all consoled me when I had that bad test grade, telling me you'd been there, and that it's not as bad as it seems when you look back at it. But most importantly, you've been the words of wisdom when the weeks were tough, and all I wanted to do was sit in my room and feel bad for myself. You've been the people that have told me, "It's OK, we've been there, we know the feeling, but you can't let that stop you from enjoying your time here.". "Embrace it" is the phrase that still rings in my ears from all of you. "Cherish it, because when you're a senior, you'll spend every day wondering where your time went.".

When I think about Penn State, I think about you guys. You embody what it means to be a Penn Stater for me. I want the crazy 3 A.M. stories with my friends, the 8 A.M. wake ups for noon kickoffs, the lazy afternoons enjoying the sunshine on the lawn, or waiting in the rain and snow for hours at the football games. Penn State had so much to offer you, and I'm so honored to say, that I got to watch every single one of you use the advice you gave me and embrace it, cherish your time here, and become a true Penn Stater at heart, like you have been all along.

This is my advice to you: As a sophomore, I don't know as much as you guys, I don't have all the experiences that you might have had, but I do know some things. First of all, adults still have fun. You guys are adults, but that doesn't have to stop you from going out on the weekends. While it may be more inconvenient to order pizza at 2 A.M. on a Saturday, never let a bad week stop you from enjoying the weekends, with your friends by your side. Secondly, embrace all of the opportunities that you have. You did that here, as students, and now you'll do it as alums. Embrace adventures wherever you end up, and embrace the opportunity to come back with your friends. You may not be sitting in the student section, but you can be those proud, amazing alumni that we as students can only hope to be, when our time as undergraduates is over.

Finally -- and this is the most important advice I have to give -- leave a piece of your heart here with us. You fell in love with this place first, which is why you chose to come here. You called this place your home for four amazing years. You've spent hours of your time in the walls of our classrooms, exploring the depths of the library, and standing till your feet were sore on the benches of Beaver Stadium, or in the bleachers of the BJC during THON weekend. Penn State stole your heart, just like it stole all of ours. Leave a piece of it here for the people you will leave behind, the ones that will miss your advice, your wisdom, and your crazy stories. Leave a piece so that you can come home as much as you want, and so that your heart can remain with an institution that molded you, into an amazing adult, forever.

Don't forget to be Penn State proud, because I know this will always be your home.

Love always,

Your biggest fan