Freshman year was full of ups and downs, drama, laughter, tears and stress. But most of all, it was full of friendships that I will never forget.

I made the decision to leave DeSales for personal reasons. It was bittersweet to leave because I honestly did not want to leave the people I met: my roommate, suitemates and friends across and down the hall. I really did not want to leave any of them. I want to express my gratitude to those whom I will miss the most.

Thank you to my roommate, Emily Griffith. Thank you for being the person I could always count on even before I arrived school. Thanks for always being my gym buddy, staying up late with me, and studying for hours at the library with me. Thank you for the many meals we shared and the beautiful memories that I will remember forever.

Thank you to my suitemate, Liz Scully, for always leaving the door between our rooms open. Thank you for making me laugh uncontrollably and being the sweetest girl I have ever met. Thanks for having my back and always being there for me whenever I needed someone. Thanks for being such a great friend to me.

Thank you to Sydney-Peterson Quinn, who lived across the hall from me. Thanks for being my twin in every way possible. Thanks for always making me laugh and killing Kayla workouts with me. I will never forget all of our scary movie nights, shopping sprees, and endless memories.

Thank you to my friend, Halie Smith. Thanks for being the strongest person I know and for being you. Thanks for being such a good friend to me and always making sure I am okay. I will forever miss the huge air mattress that was in the middle of my dorm room because of you!

Thank you to my friend Matt Wolfinger. Thanks for being such a kind person and for being my only guy friend at DeSales. Thank you for being there for me and playing heads up for hours with me. Thanks for always having my back and always telling me how it is.

Thank you to my cheer squad for showing me what teamwork is really all about. Thanks for being my second family and always supporting me. I will never forget what we accomplished as a team and I will always love all of you guys!

To everyone else I met along the way, thanks for being so kind and making school just a little easier for me. Thanks for saying hi to me as I walked to the DUC for dinner or to one of my classes. Thanks for accepting me and making DeSales feel a little more welcoming. Good luck to all of you in the future and don't worry, you will see me again soon because I plan on visiting.

The friends we make in college are the ones we have for life. I am sad to be moving on and leaving them, but our friendships are strong. I believe no matter where we are in the world, I will always have them. That is how you know you have found true friends. I am excited, and scared, to start a new beginning, but even though you all are far, I know you will be right next to me every step of the way this upcoming year. I love you all, and thank you so much.