I have gotten to know some of the most amazing people in the year above me who I have been lucky enough to call my friends. They’ve been there to celebrate some of the most exciting moments and there to help me through some of the hardest times the last two and a half years. The past few months I’ve seen how stressful it is to have the grown-up world quickly approaching. I’ve also been mentally preparing myself this semester that next year when we come back to school, a lot of people who have impacted my life so much will no longer be here on campus. I won’t see them in class every day or meet up for our usual lunch plans. As the end of the semester gets closer and closer, I realize how much I still have to say to the people who have impacted me so much:
When I was a freshman, you were the people in the year above my class who had advice and experience, but you were also the people who wouldn’t be graduating right away. It felt safe to say if we got close to you, it was still going to be a while before we had to say goodbye. I looked up to you and always will. So many of you were the people I went to in a time of need. So many of you taught me what it means to help or lead others through the examples you set. You’ve made impacts on me I know will stay with me long after college. You were the people who have been supportive and pushed me to do the best I can various times in my academics, job, and sorority. I know you’ll all only be a text or a phone call away next year, but it will still feel like a piece of the campus will be missing without you here.
It makes me sad to think of the next year without you all here, but I am excited. I am excited to see all you will do and to hear about all your adventures after your time in undergrad. I’ve seen you each influence something you’re passionate about on this campus already—from voting to human rights to mental health—and now you’re going out into the real world to make those differences.
I’m still a year away from graduating. I have yet to have to wait months to hear back from a grad school. I have yet to nervously prepare to interview for a first “big kid job.” But I understand from watching you guys prepare to graduate how stressful it can all get. But you’re going to do amazing. The real world could be big and overwhelming, but at the end of the day you’re going to be fine. You’ll be more than fine actually, you’ll get out there and do such great things.
I’m going to miss you all here on campus, but there are not even words to express how excited I am to see all you do after graduation.
