I vividly remember the day the stock market crashed in the fall of 2008. I was in Honors English, and the teacher from next door came in and told us to turn on the news. The last time an instance like this occurred on September 11, 2001, so I was really nervous about what I would see on the screen. As the numbers plummeted, I became acutely aware that I was witnessing an event that would be written as a bold face title in a future textbook: The Great Recession.

I had been following the 2008 election closely, every debate, every SNL skit, every crappy YouTube video. Twitter and Facebook were basically non-existent, so all I had to go on was whatever channel my dad had it on after dinner.

Everyday you would appear in my living room, talking about your values and policy ideas. But that night was the first time I felt like I was a part of something much bigger; our country needed you to lead us.

In November 2008, the major news networks announced your victory. My mom, who rarely gets emotional, had tears in her eyes as you accepted the nomination in Chicago. I had never felt so proud to be an American as I did that night.

Yes We Can! Yes We Can! Yes We Can!

Over the years, you continued to lead us forward. Slowly but surely, our economy regained ground. You directed the take down of Osama Bin Laden. You lit up the White House with rainbow lights after the Supreme Court decided to rule in favor of the right to marry. You passed your dream piece of legislation, the Affordable Care Act which saved thousands of lives. And more. I even got the chance to vote for you in 2012.

You were always calm, classy, collected, and cool. Fist bumping the First Lady, epic White House Correspondent's Dinner jokes, slow jamming the news with Jimmy Fallon, appearing in Buzzfeed videos, and having a meme-worthy bromance with the Vice President.

Today with a heavy heart, I watched you leave the White House. There are not enough words to express my gratitude for all the work you have done for us. I can't wait to tell future generations what it was like to have you as our first black president.

Thanks, Obama.