At the time, I disliked so many aspects of high school.

The unnecessary drama, eight hours of school five days a week, students who didn’t care, hours of homework every night, and the constant stress of college looming overhead. But now looking back, after dealing with professors who will never know my name and classrooms with hundreds of random students whom I'll never get to know, I really wish I appreciated more of high school when I had the chance.

Especially my old teachers, the ones who made a permanent mark in my life and helped shape the person I am today. I never thanked them for everything they did for me in high school, but as a freshman in college, here is a huge thank you from me to you.

1. Thank you to my senior year P.E. teacher for not letting me give up.

For three years in high school, I successfully avoided taking any unneeded physical education classes because my school offered sports waivers, which means being in a sport exempted you from P.E. My senior year, they scrapped waivers, so regardless of being in multiple sports, I had to take gym.

To make matters worse, the only class that fit in my schedule was a 6:30 am weightlifting class before first period. I was not happy about it, and you knew that. The first few weeks and months, I hated it and you knew that, too. But you pushed me to go full out and put all my energy into each and every class.

I was miserable, until one day I wasn't. I don't know when it happened, but suddenly going to class wasn't so bad. I felt myself becoming stronger and you continued to encourage and push me to get even better. I was able to lift more weight than I ever thought was possible, and whenever I improved I felt so accomplished.

Now here I am at college, wishing I had the time to go lifting again because I really miss it. So thank you, for not letting me give up on the class and more importantly myself, and for helping to discover the strength I didn’t believe I had.

2. Thank you to my AP Calculus AB teacher for putting up with me and believing in me.

Even though I did awful in your class and was a terrible student, you still believed in me. I hardly did any homework assignments, slept through lessons I did not understand, didn’t participate, and failed nearly every test.

For an entire year, I was convinced you hated me and I hated you, too. The last thing that I wanted to do at 7:30 in the morning was calculus. This was the first time in my career as a student that math didn’t come easily to me, and I was opposed to doing anything different to learn the material. So I didn’t, and I paid the price for it. I’m sorry I was a terrible student.

I wish I appreciated you and your teaching methods while I was in your class. Instead, I’m sitting in college calculus class bored out of my mind because we are not challenged nearly as much as you challenged us. You pushed your students to be better every day and learn something new. I know how to calculate a derivative, solve for the slope of a tangent line, find the implicit derivative of an equation, and more because you taught it to me so well but I didn’t want to understand at the time.

You pushed me and the entire class to think for ourselves, encouraged us to solve difficult problems, and you set high standards for all of us so that we could succeed. I’m sorry it took me so long to realize that, but thank you.

3. Thank you to my physics teacher for showing me the importance of perseverance and humor.

Every day during a lesson you would tell one of your "hilarious" physics jokes and make everyone in class laugh. Physics isn’t always the most exciting thing, but with your humor, you made it so much more interesting. Then the next day, we would work in the lab on the homework assignment together in groups with your help.

Well, very minimal help, because you wanted us to think for ourselves instead of showing us exactly what to do for every problem. It was really tough sometimes, and other times it was even more difficult. But the moment after myself or my group would solve a challenging problem, that feeling of satisfaction would make it worth it.

The way you motivated us to solve problems on our own was one of the most valuable lessons I learned in high school. And sometimes the only way to get a problem done is to work with other people and help each other out. So thank you for that. Also, on a side note, thank you for being honest with us and treating us like adults and not children.

So many other teachers treated us like we were little ten-year-olds who didn't know how to do anything, but you never did. You respected us and treated us like adults, and I respect you so much for that.

4. Thank you to my English teachers for teaching me how to be a better writer, and for making me WANT to be a better writer.

People always tell you how important it is to be able to write, and write well, but students don't take it seriously until they are faced with a situation where everything depends on writing. My junior year, I stressed about colleges applications because I didn't know what I wanted to major it, where I wanted to go, or what I wanted to do with my life.

So sitting in your English class writing a synthesis timed essay and preparing a documentary was the last thing on my mind. Senior year I was under constant stress from so many aspects of my life, and school became less and less of a priority. But you always expected nothing but the best from me and my work. I wanted to dislike both of you, but I couldn't because you were two of the most supportive teachers I've ever had. I loved being in your classes, even when I wanted to be elsewhere.

I didn't want to disappoint either one of you, so I did the best I could and pushed myself constantly with my writing. You two taught me to think about writing in a different light, and to think outside the plain, boring essay format we were taught in middle school. Now I'm a better writer because of it, and I continue to try and improve my writing.

While some of my fellow students struggle to write a five-page essay, I feel confident in my ability to write an essay that flows from topic to topic like how a poem moves from stanza to stanza because of both of you. Thank you.

5. Thank you to my AP Biology teacher for giving me the courage to go on a journey that changed my life.

I saved this one for last because it means the most to me. I wish I had the courage to say this to you in person, but I'm not quite there yet, and maybe I'm just hoping you might see this someday.

But thank you, for everything. For being an amazing teacher and explaining the crazy world around us in such a way that I was instantly intrigued. I wanted to know everything, but I was too shy to ask you questions. Thank you for being honest with us and never treating us like we were elementary school children. You gave us a basic level of respect, and in return, I respect you probably way more than you think.

You brought humor into the classroom with your daily quote and constant jokes, reminding me that no day is complete without a good laugh. And thank you for teaching me so much about biology, because I learned so much from you. But, even more than that, thank you helping me to realize my passion and the future career I want. Freshman year, biology was just a class that I liked and didn't think anything else about. But with you, I really found a field I'm passionate about.

That passion led me to a volunteer opportunity where I could put that passion to work. I found a program where I could work in the Amazon rainforest in Ecuador, and even though you didn't know it, you are mainly the reason I committed to going.

That experience changed my life... I went from undecided to a double major in Biology and Journalism with the hopes to write for the National Geographic because of that trip. I found what I am passionate about and what I want to spend the rest of my life doing, because of you. So thank you.