As my sophomore year starts to wind down and my college life is almost half over, I just wanted to say thank you to all the college people I’ve met in these past two years who have helped me get to this point alive. Through the good and the bad, the breakdowns and the real talks, you guys are the ones that I’ve spent hours with, late into the night just talking.

I’ve had moments of clarity and realizations, and moments of “I can’t do this” and “this is too hard.” You guys are the ones who have watched me struggle and who have pushed me to do more when I decided to just do the bare minimum. You guys are the ones who have helped me deal with boys, watched me freak out over the tiniest bugs, and who tickled me just to make me laugh when I’m sad or to torture me - the jury’s still out on that. So here’s a little thing that I wrote from the heart to thank all of you guys.

Thank you for not judging me when I’m at my worst and for letting me be me when I’m at my best.

Thank you for accepting me as the ADHD, ambiverted, ticklish, strange girl that I am.

Thank you for teaching me that change is a good thing, and that I can’t always control things that are out of my control.

Thank you for making me feel like I am important and that I am loved, even when I don’t feel it.

Thank you for tutoring me for hours in math and letting me talk about my campers literally all the freaking time.

Thank you for letting me freak out when things get too much and for telling me to breathe when I’m stressed.

Thank you for all the “you got this” hugs when I have a rough day or when I’m stressing out about Relay five minutes before it starts.

Thank you for teaching me to go out of my comfort zone and for telling me that you’ve noticed that I’ve grown so much since last semester and that I’m more outgoing now, because honestly I didn’t realize it until you told me.

Thank you for giving me a place where I fit in and for always giving me a table to sit at in the cafeteria and student center.

Thank you for listening to me talk about Disney and sing Disney songs literally all the time.

Thank you for accepting me as both the 5-year-old I am inside and the 20-year-old I am outside, all in one.

Thank you for encouraging me to try new things and giving me stories to talk about when I’m home.

Thank you for being my support system, and becoming the people who know me, inside and out.

Thank you for being the people I can come to for anything.

Thank you for helping me get through hard days and for telling me I brighten up your days when they’re rough.

Thank you for telling me I can’t get rid of any of you and for just accepting it when I randomly come over and hug you or use you as a pillow or an armrest (even though most of you are taller than me).

Thank you for giving me piggyback rides and accepting the fact that I surprise you all sometimes (y'all underestimate me occasionally).

Thank you for giving me a second (or third or fourth maybe idk) family from all across the country.

Thank you for putting up with me and for being my friends.

Thank you for making me feel special and for letting me into your lives.

Thank you for being there for me when I have a breakdown or when I need a real talk.

Thank you for realizing that I’m a unique person and my life story is weird.

Thank you for realizing that it takes time for me to open up to people and thank you for not pushing me to open up to you guys and for letting it happen when it happens.

Thank you for making sure I’m okay when I’m in a mood and again, thank you for letting me be me.

Thank you for accepting me completely, and letting me play Silentball or telling me that I’m the puzzle piece that fits everyone together and that I brighten up your day.

Thank you for realizing that just because I’m always smiling doesn’t mean I’m always happy and thank you for knowing when I need to talk and when to just let me be me.

Finally, I just want to say a simple thank you.

Thank you for everything you guys have done for me over the past two years.

Thank you for the real talks, the “you’ll be okay” hugs and for always making me feel loved and that I’m wanted.

Most of all, thank you for being my friends.