An Open Letter To My Fellow Nerds,

I'll keep this as brief as I possibly can because trust me, I know that you have a million other things to be working on. I just hope to break your studies and your focus long enough to inform you of the influence that you have had on my life, and on this world. So, here it goes:

I began my college journey similarly to many other freshman: I had absolutely no idea what to expect.

A self-proclaimed, misunderstood outcast, I sought nothing more than to find my purpose, my niche, and my people. I wanted something more. I so desperately longed for exposure to depth, diversity, and others who shared my aspirations. Looking ahead, though, I wasn't sure where to begin. I could never quite picture myself in a sorority per se. Sports didn't appeal to me either, as I was far too deep in the components of my education to have time for them. So, where did this leave me, once again? High school did not fill my voids, lacking the energizing components necessary to keep me propelling forward without feeling as though I was doing it all alone, and my greatest fear was that college wouldn't either.

Then, I found University Honors. I could stop this excerpt right here, to be quite frank, because my experience being a part of this organization, in its entirety, has been unmatched, to say the very least. But you deserve the praise, and probably don't give yourselves enough credit.

Since day one, I have felt valued and supported both by you, my peers, and the University Honors faculty. You praised me when I succeeded and assisted me whenever circumstances were adverse. You have provided me with an open environment where I felt comfortable expressing my achievements and downfalls, moments of enlightenment and concerns, excitements and frustrations. My character and perceptions have constantly been sculpted by your brilliant minds. I have been introduced to events, students, faculty members, professionals, courses, and opportunities that I never would have known nor pursued without my involvement in this organization.

To me, University Honors was more than a check list. I was more than my GPA, and more than what I could offer on a piece of paper. You saw me for me. You treated me as an individual, just as you treated every other participant and peer. How beautiful is it that the identity that I share with you all has simultaneously shaped and enhanced my personal identity, far beyond the classroom?

Now, I am a senior, just a few months out from graduation, and I find myself getting teary-eyed at the thought of being without you all and your widely varying perspectives, intelligence, and insight; the elements that have graced me daily for the preceding years of my quest through higher education. I feel myself changing and developing throughout every conversation that we engage in-- becoming more and more invigorated and well-rounded with each idea that you formulate.

It has been a privilege to consider myself a part of University Honors along with you all, and I am eager to live in a world, post-homework and all-nighters, in which you are leaving your mark and changing humanity for the better. You embody every trait that I am the most proud of, and then some. You have become more than a fraternity of scholars to me. Instead, you have become nothing short of a family. I relish in your accomplishments and I am indescribably inspired by all that you do. Most profoundly, though, you have given me a gift that has immeasurable value:

For the first time in my life, as a member of University Honors, I truly feel as though I belong.

For that, I can't express my gratitude enough. Thank you. Thank you so much.

Sincerely,

Your Fellow Nerd