Last year at UK, I was going through a break-up and living with my ex while doing so. I was forced to find a new place to live for my junior year and somehow I landed on this house of four amazing girls and I'm so glad that I did. They didn't know my situation at the time and that I was desperate to find a place to live. Coming into a house with five girls in it, I didn't know what to expect. I knew we'd either all get along well or it would be drama and chaos. I was just looking forward to the new school year and finally being out of my old apartment.

After explaining my previous situation to the girls and getting to know each other more, they took me in with open arms. They have no idea how much they have helped me over the course of living with them these past 6 months. I was at a very low point in my life and I knew I needed to spend time working on myself and bringing myself out of that rut. They made that process a lot less stressful and smoother for me.

Living in a house with this many people has its pros and cons. If I wanted to be alone, I'd just go to my room but on days that I was struggling, it was nice to be able to go downstairs and talk to the girls or make plans to do something. They got my mind off of things most of the time and gave me a moment to reset my focus. Talking with them about our struggles was, of course, a big help as well. It's nice to know you're not going through things on your own and that people around you are experiencing or have experienced the same thing, especially when you're in college.

We're all struggling with something. It's nice to be able to lean on someone in your struggles and have them support you 100 percent. I truly believe that you thrive when you're in a happy environment. Coming back to school this semester was the first time since I've been in college that I was actually excited to come back to school and not dreading it. I contribute the reasoning for that to the friendships I have made in this house. I cherish all of the memories I have made with them along the way and the heart to heart talks we've shared with one another.

I can't thank you all enough for accepting me for who I am and for helping me through one of the hardest times in my life. I truly believe that I have made life long friends in this house. I'm so happy that I ended up living with you guys and that we hit it off so well. To Callie, Joanna, and Hannah, I am so excited to live with you guys next year, to make more memories and grow closer, and of course to struggle through our senior year together and prepare for the real world.

I love y'all and appreciate you so much! xx