College is some of the greatest years of a person's life. I'm a firm believer in that. I graduated today from my University, and I am just a whirlwind of emotions. I am so excited for my future and all the things I want to do with my life, but I am so unbelievably sad to leave behind a place that has become my second home. My college experience was most definitely the greatest years of my life: I have so many wonderful memories and experiences to cherish for the years to come. I can only hope that the future will hold just as many good memories, but I'm just going to be nostalgic for now.

College has given me so much, but these are the things I'm especially grateful for:

My scholarship.

None of this would be possible without my university's generosity. I know I speak for a lot of college students when I say student debt would be a lot worse without help from higher education.

Giving me lifelong friends.

My favorite thing from college. I love the friends that I have made so fiercely, and I will always treasure the memories I have with them. You become so close with the friends you make in college; it's hard to imagine life without them.

Letting me think for myself.

I am so thankful for all the knowledge I gained in college, and the ability to form my own opinions on the world and what's been happening. We are given so many resources to really become our own person, and so many people are never given that opportunity.

Learning under phenomenal faculty.

My professors at my university are some of the brightest and talented faculty I've ever met, and I have been so privileged to work with professionals that really care about student's success and their overall takeaway of their classes. I've made lifelong connections with professors who I know I will be able to come back to if I ever have any questions, need recommendation letters, or simply just want to talk about life.

Working with fun-hearted staff.

The staff at my university always had smiles on their face and greeted you with a friendly hello. I had the privilege of working several on-campus jobs and getting to know several staff members, each teaching me extremely prevalent information about the real world. I had some of my best bosses working my student worker jobs.

Playing a sport I love.

Being a student-athlete was not easy and not fun all the time, but it was well worth it. I was part of a team that became family, and I was able to commit myself to a sport that gave me great joy. It was a wonderful opportunity, and I wouldn't trade it for the world.

Giving me the opportunity to travel.

Studying abroad in Europe was one of the best experiences I've ever had, and I would have never had that opportunity without our study abroad program. I met all sorts of wonderful people, traveled to different countries, and learned a lot about myself. Anyone who has the opportunity to study abroad should save up and go!

Pursuing my passions.

I'm very lucky to get to do what I love as a career for the rest of my life. In college, I was really able to expand my horizons, learn under professionals still involved in their fields, and really figure out what I want to do with my life. That time and energy did not go to waste.

Making me appreciate home-cooked meals.

Pretty self-explanatory.

Showing me how much my parents have done for me.

I appreciate my parents so much more than I did as a teenager. All the hard work, sacrifice, and patience they've given me is unbelievable, and I am so undeserving of what they do for me. I am undeniably lucky to have parents who fiercely support me and believe in my dreams.

Allowing me to make mistakes.

We all mess up in life at some point. College is a time where you can mess up, and it may or may not be the end of the world. It gives you a cushion to learn from your mistakes, get back up and try again.

Giving me love.

I fell in love during my college years, and as much as it was a roller coaster of a ride, I am still so thankful for everything I learned through loving someone other than myself.

Shattering it with heartbreak.

Then again, I got my heart broken and stomped on quite a few times by guys who didn't even deserve my time. I learned a lot about loving myself from that and remembering that I deserve a lot more than what I allowed and what we call "dating" nowadays.

Teaching me how to stand up for myself.

College brought all kinds of people into my life, and while I had so many beautiful people in my life, I was challenged by others. I learned that it's okay if you're not friends with everyone, and it's okay to stick up for yourself even when that means going against the status quo.

Pushing me to fight for what's right.

I learned a lot about the outside world in college, and how our world works. I became more vocal about what I thought was important and became an activist for specific rights. Being bold, confident, and passionate about something in your life is a great feeling, and I never had that before college.

Giving me the tools to succeed in life.

Life is scary. There are a lot of things that can go wrong. But there are also a lot of things that can go really right, and really make your life something pretty spectacular. College has given me the tools, knowledge, and drive to really make something of myself. With internship experience, leadership, work-life balance, and a dream to work towards, I know my university has not failed me preparing for the real world. Now it's my turn to not let them down.