It is still surreal to me to think that we have been at college for just around three and a half months, but also like -- we have been at college for just around three and a half months? Already, I have been lucky enough to have fallen into a pile of weird, hilarious, warm-hearted, insightful people that I can call friends. I was so worried about this initially, as many people are, because in high school I had such an amazing group of friends that I still love and cherish to this day. We have kept in touch, and that means the world to me. But I was anxious about connecting with the people around me, in the way that I did with them.

Each person is so different, and as we grow closer, pulling back the layers (yes, like an onion, where you @ Shrek?!) to learn more about each individual has been absolutely amazing. We all have our little quirks or mannerisms. These people are some of the strongest, most caring people I have met and I genuinely appreciate how welcoming and attentive they have been. It helps me on a daily basis to know that no matter what, I will have people to vent to, or people that will make me cry with laughter. I see growth in myself as a person because I am fortunate to have these people that I can go to if I need to. Not everybody has this privilege and I constantly think about how gracious I am for them.

Thank you for the philosophical discussions we have at basically any time of day, whether it be at 4 in the morning, or around a table eating Cocoa Krispies. The conversations of whether we are really a butterfly dreaming of being a human, about ghosts or Lana Del Rey, whatever it is, feed my brooding and spacey soul. Purely intellectually-based I have learned so much from these people, whether it be politics or mental-wellness or whatever they are studying individually. I thrive on listening to people talk about what they are passionate about, and I love that all of my friends have that something. They are so adorable when they talk about what they love or the project that they're working on.

I know I'm going to remember these times, and that was something that I was often anxious about previously -- not having a story to share, whether it be at a kickback where everyone is telling one or even to my future kids. These people are helping me to open up, and to create these memories. Spontaneous haunted graveyard visits or rooftop stargazing or photo shoots (that I both love and hate, as once you put a camera in my face, I turn into something resembling both a potato and a child that really has to pee) -- I cherish these moments so much. I can feel myself reaching and stepping outside of my comfort zone, and I feel so much healthier for it.

Probably the most important part of all -- they (well, most of them do, we're still working on converting a couple) love The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Prior to college, I rarely came across people who even knew of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, let alone worship it in the same way that I do. There was a period of about two weeks around Halloween when all that was ever on the tv or bursting from a stereo was Rocky Horror -- one instance of which, we dressed up as the characters, and sang and danced to the songs. The people I have met are not afraid to be weird, and that is so freeing, mentally.

Its just such a strange experience to live with your friends, and have them see you at your best and worst and at those moments that you are so tired that you are rolling on the floor, stacking the weird bean-shaped seats over your body to create a coffin -- oh, that's just me? Okay, no, yeah, totally, LOL. Thank you to the people I have met while at Clark University. I could not ask for a better assortment of people to stand by my side and help me grow into the person that I want to be. Whenever I step into the second-floor lounge and see one of your faces, my day is instantly made that much better. Y'all know who you are, you bunch of freakfaces. Ugh, this was super sentimental and mushy and none of you must ever bring this up to me. You may each have one head nod and a firm hand on your shoulder and that is it -- no hugs and that is mandatory. Goodbye.