2017, wow I am getting old. I’m going to graduate high school and then finally attend my first semester at my dream school, which is LSU by the way-Geaux Tigers! Wow, it’s going to be a year to remember, but first, let’s say goodbye to 2016. Or like Sharpay Evans once said, “It’s out with the old and in with the new, Goodbye clouds of gray, hello skies of blue.”

Honestly, I hope you stood up and sang that in your best singing voice, mostly because I did while I was writing this, but also because it brings me to my first goodbye to 2016.

Have you ever been told you’re a great singer? Well if you sound anything like me you’ve been told you sound like a dying cat instead. Now I don’t know why, I mean I am musically talented. Yeah, at the trombone. Well anyways back to my point. The other day I was told I sing like somebody hurt me. They actually asked who hurt me, no joke. Of course being the confident young lady that I am I responded “What do you mean? No one can hurt me. I sound great!” But since we are about to start a new year I guess I should be honest and lay everything out on the table before New Years. So yes I sound like a dying cat. I actually sound like nails on a chalkboard combined with dying cats in the background…on a good day. In my defense, the only reason I sound as terrible as I do is because when I sing I scream my feelings through the lyrics. Ok maybe that’s not the only reason but you get my point. I have been hurt multiple times this year. So when I’m driving home from school after a long day and it’s just me I sing like nobody is listening. I sing to get my anger out, and I sing how I am feeling. The truth is I am not the unbreakable person people see me as. I break down just like everyone else. The difference is I don’t show that side of me. I let all those feelings go when I’m alone in my car singing to the radio that consists of a lot of songs that relate to my life more than they should. So yes I am not the unbreakable person I come off as. Christmas Eve a friend actually cut me off so when I say I sing my feelings I’m not joking. I’ve been doing a lot of that recently. But here is where my mind is at right now-I was cut off in 2015, I was cut off in 2016, but I will not be in 2017. So in honor of leaving everything, actually everyone, wait, no it was only one person, who hurt me behind here is to you. Over the past couple days I’ve learned to love the song Mercy by Shawn Mendes(10/10 by the way, I highly recommend it), and here’s why: You had me wrapped around your finger for six years, but I couldn’t take the constant lack of caring about other people's feelings, all about you all the time attitude, and your constant need to defend your reputation instead of fix what was going on anymore. I asked you for mercy because I felt like a puppet on your string. Instead, you slammed the door on me, consumed all my air, let me free, and walked away without ever telling me why. So here is to you. You hurt me, but I know you don’t care. You tore me apart, and I know you would gladly do it twice. So I am forever leaving you in 2016 because I am not stupid enough to give a person like you another shot. You know who you are. Goodbye. Here’s a lesson to everybody -if you are in a one-sided, toxic, mentally/physically abusive friendship/relationship leave it, and leave it in 2016, because 2017 is our year. 2017 is for all of the people who have been mistreated when they shouldn’t have this past year. This is our year.

Like I said earlier, we’re being completely honest here. Being completely honest 2016 wasn’t all bad. It had its ups as well. Personally, I’ve dreamed of going to one school my entire life. I actually decided to graduate a year early so I could get to my dream school faster. Before you ask--yes it was the only school I applied to. And I’m beyond thrilled to announce that I was accepted to my dream school, LSU, in 2016. Part of my celebration certainly did include screaming along to the fight song and the entire Sounds of LSU CD alone in my car for multiple months. I still do today-ssshhhh don’t tell anybody! Now that’s only me, though. Have you achieved your dream yet? If 2016 wasn’t the year for you work hard to make 2017 it. It’s not easy, but words can’t even describe how worth it is after you have that feeling of success. So work hard towards your dreams and never back down. And know this-you have a community of mistreated, abused people by your side every step of the way. I promise you that’s not as sad as it sounds, or at least I hope it’s not.

Now since we’ve been reminded of the true masterpiece that High School Musical is let’s reflect: “It’s out with the old” Remove all of your unnecessary friendships from your life and start 2017 clean. Yes I’m talking to you, you know who you are. “And in with the new” Welcome in 2017 with your best friends, with the people who mean the most to you, because those are the right people and the most important people in your life. Madeline, Sruthi, Sarah, Julia, and Lexi-thank you for sticking with me through the past six years and never giving up. You all are some true friends and the real deal. “Goodbye clouds of gray” Don’t hide it, if you’ve been hurt it’s ok. I was hurt, but I’m not anymore. I’ve chosen to think that I am great, and I have realized my life is better without that one “friend.” I am asking you to do the same. Realize all of your awesomeness, yes I just said awesomeness, and proudly show it to the world, because you are amazing in your own unique way. “Hello skies of blue” 2016 had its ups, but like I said we’re being honest here. So honestly 2016 was a year filled with forest fires and smoky air. It clogged up how we looked at the world and even each other. It guided us off of our path in life and into a deep hole, which we eventually discovered that we dug ourselves due to abusive friendships/relationships. Yes, I am talking to you because you did this to me. Thanks to your so called “friendship” I was driven to dig myself a hole. A hole that I couldn’t get out of, and one I’m still trying to crawl out of today. So my advice to all of you is to just try to get a grasp of your life again because 2017 can’t start out on a bad note. Thanks to you, yes I’m talking to you again, cutting me off on Christmas Eve during the most wonderful time of the year gave me a week to get my life together, and now I only have a day. Thank God you’re not in my life anymore. But like I said we all have to get a grasp on our lives. 2016 was a cloudy year, but with the community of people we have backing each one of us up I know we can make 2017 a sunny year with only blue skies.

So this is my final goodbye to 2016 and all of the ups and downs that came with it. I’ve learned a lot from them, but I’m ready for some good now. Welcome 2017, I cannot wait to see the amazing things that will happen this next year, including meeting my #lsu21 family. You all are the best-Geaux Tigers!