Dear Otterbein,

First thing's first: a proper thank you is in order. So thank you for these wonderful four years. Thank you for being another amazing place in my life, and thank you for giving me all these memories. I've met so many people here and had so many experiences that I'll never forget. I honestly can't believe that I'll be graduating this week -- it seems like only yesterday I was a freshman coming to Westerville for First Flight Week.

I remember being so nervous for my first day of classes. I had my schedule printed out and I'm pretty sure I brought everything I could ever need to each class. I guess not much has changed since then because I still had a picture of my schedule on my phone for the first week and I always brought my planner, a pencil and some paper to my first classes. I also remember going into my first communication class and wondering how the heck I was going to do this. I hadn't taken a public speaking class in a few years -- I didn't think I could remember anything, let alone not be worried about speaking in front of everyone. Turns out, it served me well because I recently presented my senior project to a room full of faculty, friends and family. I remember coming into my first English class (when I switched my major) and looking around at everyone, thinking, "I don't know if I really belong here" -- but now I couldn't imagine being anywhere else. The English Department has been such a safe space for me and I couldn't be prouder of my accomplishments. So a huge thank you to all my professors and all of my classes for challenging me and helping me grow to be a better student, writer and person. You've all changed my life for the better.

Thank you to all of the friends I've met here, especially close-knit groups like my essay classmates and my best friend Mackenzie. Thank you to all the people I've gotten to work with at Student Affairs - I've had great experiences with all of you. I've had so many opportunities, such as finding an on-campus job, trying out new clubs and meeting new people, all of which I don't think would've been possible had I gone to a different university.

The smaller campus and the overwhelming sense of comfort I feel from Otterbein is insurmountable. I used to roll my eyes when people would call their colleges "home" -- but I know that deep down, Otterbein has been like another home for me (at least for these last four years). I couldn't be more grateful. Now, it's my time to graduate and move on in life, but I will never forget this place.

Sincerely,

Kari