Before I left for college, my uncle gave me an $150 check to help me start on the right foot and not go totally broke within the first few weeks of school. Since I don't know how to be a real adult, I had my mom deposit it, and give it to me in cash.

Fast forward to a few weeks later, when I'm sitting at my desk with a stack of twenties burning a hole in my pocket, and my roommate tells me there's a succulent sale going on outside of Usdan. With my newfound riches and the bare space on my windowsill, I decided to go check it out and see if I could get a cute plant or two to make my dorm feel a little more lively. What a wasn't expecting though, was to meet the cactus that would change my life.

I was walking through the rows and rows of tiny succulents, bonsai trees, and (goldfish bowls?), when by a chance of fate, I turned the corner and stumbled upon the most beautiful cactus I had ever seen. Alone among "prettier" plants, everyone was walking right past her, but as soon as I set my eyes on her prickles, I knew it was meant to be. I purchased her on the spot, no questions asked, and immediately ran her back to my dorm to show my roommate.

We got to setting her up on the empty part of the windowsill, when all of the sudden, the clouds parted, and the sun shone directly on her, making her glow like an angel.

"Latrice," I said. "That's her name."

And Latrice it was.

With a new addition to our home, we were nervous. We didn't want to make any mistakes now that we were caring for another living being. We had a lot a love for her already, but we didn't quite know what to do with it.

We wanted to make sure she was comfortable and happy adapting to her new home, so we started by providing her with a healthy, balanced meal each day.

We tried to take her outside as much as possible, so she could begin to learn new things and understand the world around her.

We introduced her to anyone who stopped by, and to our delight, it wasn't long until she started making friends.

Latrice has been part of our lives for a whole week now, and what I've come to realize is this: Living with a succulent can be hard work, and takes a lot of patience, but now matter how tough it gets, it will always be worth it. Latrice is more than just a prickly plant, she is part of our family. She has grown so much, and we've grown with her.

She's been here for the good times.

She's been here for the bad times.

And she never fails to brighten our day.

I hope everyone is able to find a succulent that makes them as happy as Latrice has made us. Life can be tough, but with a good cactus by your side, it gets easier. We love you Latrice. Thank you for making this place feel a little more like home.