Freshman year is difficult for everyone. We change almost everything. Our home, our friends, and our lifestyle are all different. The people that help us get through that difficult time are very important and are just like our family. They help us adjust to college life and we help them. Sometimes we need to let them know, we all changed and grew and without each other, that would have been impossible. So, thank you.

Thank you for getting me out of my room. It would have been so easy to just sit in my room and do nothing. You guys got me out of there. Whether it was watching "The Bachelor" while doing homework or going out for pie, you helped me have a social life. You gave me a sense of belonging and that I was fun to be around. We became great friends.

Thank you for making college not so scary. Transitioning to a new environment is not easy. You made it fun. You helped me build a life outside of the little bubble of my hometown. We got involved on campus together, we played sports in the hallway, and we played jokes on each other. We made the transition together and by the end of the year, we were brand new people.

Thank you for creating memories. Freshman year is a year I will always remember. We did so many things that I don't think I would have ever done. There will always be that "one time" that I will thank you for. Like that time when we went "swimming" in the snow and when we cleaned off icy cars right before winter break. We put a giant hole in the wall and would decorate the lounge to make it more homey during the holidays. We drove our community assistants crazy but that's ok, we were making memories. These memories will be with me for the rest of my life.

Thank you for being my home away from home. Moving a few hours away from my family was difficult but you made it easier. I didn't go home every weekend because I had established a home at school. When I did go home, I would talk about the family I have at school. There were so many stories I would tell them. You made me enjoy being away from them. you helped me grow up and become an independent person. We all grew together.

You guys have made my freshman year one for the books. I will never forget the family that I grew with. I can never thank you enough. We made a life for each of us and all went our separate ways but I couldn't have done it without you. We never knew how many memories we were making we just knew how much fun we were having. So with one final hurrah, I say thank you. Thank you for being my family.