To My Freshman Year Roommates,

I can't begin to tell you how grateful I am to have had you. As a group of four girls randomly assigned to live together in our beloved "quad," I still can't believe how well we worked together. We were the perfect mix of grounded, driven yet goofy young women who just wanted a successful first year of college. Looking back, we certainly had our ups and downs, including moments of frustration and moments of laughter. As I prepare to move out of this little corner of our room that I've called home, I just wanted to say thank you.

Thank you for letting me be myself. From day one, I never felt uncomfortable with you. All I knew were your names and where you were from, but as soon as I walked in the door I realized that that was all I needed. Relationships take time to build, and you all allowed that to happen. You didn't force me to open up but instead let me break down my walls at my own pace, which is why you all know me better than anyone else I've met so far in college. You let me laugh at my own jokes, didn't judge when I spent time watching Netflix or napping to decompress from long days and told me it was totally okay to eat cookies with every meal in the dining hall if it made me feel better. You welcomed me with open arms and I am so lucky for that.

Thank you for knowing when I needed someone to talk to and when I didn't. I've definitely had my fair share of not-so-great moments. There were times when I may have exploded if I couldn't talk about what was going on with me and there were times when I wanted to crawl into my bed and hide. But you knew what I needed to do every time. You knew that sometimes I needed more privacy than our room would allow, and you knew that the only way I could make sense of things at times was to talk them out. You were more patient with me than I ever imagined you would be and I didn't take that for granted.

Thank you for keeping me in check.You didn't let me make excuses. On some days I really needed a push from you to keep me moving and you gave me that. You reminded me in your nicely subtle ways when my corner was getting a little too messy for functionality, and when I had been spending too much time being unproductive. With your drive, you helped me to set higher goals than I ever would have on my own. You showed me how to own everything I put my mind to and never look back. We were all just unapologetically ourselves, which made our experience as roommates that much richer.

Thank you for having my back. I knew I could count on all of you for anything, whether it was a hug, someone to zip up my dress before I went out or someone to rant to. You watched "Gossip Girl" and painted your nails with me when I really needed a girls night, and you were so happy for me whenever I made new friends or added a new activity to my schedule. You were my cheerleaders, my go-to gals, my rocks. And I'm really going to miss that.

This isn't goodbye. I can't imagine college without you, and I'm sad that our time living together has come to a close. Just know that I'm a phone call or text way, and if you ever need anything, I will absolutely be there for you like you have been for me, time and time again.

Thank you for everything.

Thanks for helping to mold me into someone I'm proud to be. You'll always have me in your corner.

Love,

Your Freshman Year Roommate