Dear Roommate,

When I applied for a roommate through Penn's random matching process, I was nervous, yet excited, to know who I would be living with for the next year. The anticipation augmented my fears, as the more people I talked to, the more it seemed like I had made the wrong decision. What if I didn't get along with you? What if we didn't have anything in common? What if you were reckless and brought girls back to our dorm without a second thought? Suddenly, starting the new chapter of my life didn't seem so inviting. I was scared, not only because you were an unknown entity, but because I didn't want to ruin what could potentially be a great relationship. Until I found out who you were, my initial excitement was consumed by uncertainty. I quickly realized my fears were unfounded, because after just one semester, you've not only been the perfect roommate; you've become one of my closest friends at Penn.

From the very first conversation we had on move-in day, I was amazed at how effortless it was to talk to you, to blow past the superficiality and connect with you on a deeper level. We've discussed religion, politics, future plans, and girlfriends, and each discussion is as interesting as the next one. You are, without a doubt, one of the kindest, most caring individuals I've met. That "southern charm" stereotype doesn't do you justice, because as you told me almost every day, your sole purpose in life is to make people smile. I don't know anyone else who would stand on a sidewalk and interact with complete strangers, just to brighten their day. I will never forget the way you looked after me when I had food poisoning the morning before our last final. I will never forget the night you took me out to dinner after I had locked myself in our room and studied the entire day, having only eaten some cereal in 20 hours. You didn't have to help me in either of those situations, and you didn't have any ulterior motives in doing so. You genuinely cared about me and my well-being, and that is something I will always cherish.

You've made the transition to college much less stressful for me, because we have a great roommate dynamic. We both have certain chores and responsibilities in the dorm, and you complete yours without arguing. You understand when I need silence to work, and when I'm ready to just talk and chill. Above all, you respect everything about me, from who I am to what I enjoy. You always manage to ask me how my day was, even if I don't reciprocate, and you invite me to dinner with your friends if I have no one else to go with. You make me feel like Penn is truly my second home.

I could go on, but I would be rambling, and you already know how much I'm thankful for you. I just thought, after all of the times you've expressed how much you appreciate me, you deserve something more than fleeting, spoken praise. Thank you for everything. Here's to one more semester of living together, and continuing our friendship in the future! Love you bro!

Sincerely,

Zoeb Mohammedshah