My freshman year of college has quickly come to an end, and it happened a lot quicker than I thought it would.

It seems like just yesterday I was weighing my options and trying to decide what college I wanted to go to. When I decided to go to a junior college, there were a lot of different things that I heard: you won't get the full college experience; a university would be better; the education won't be as good. However, all the things that they didn't tell me are the most important.

First and foremost, I gained a new family.

From the minute I got to Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College, I was welcomed into this close-knit community. I never felt like I didn't belong--from my first weekend at NEO when some sophomores insisted that we had to eat breakfast at this place called the Doughnut Palace because the lady who works there is precious to my last night before everyone went their separate ways for the summer when one of my instructors had myself and several others over for a cookout.

To the friends I have made this year, thank you. You have seen me at some of my highest highs and some of my lowest lows. However, you were always there when I needed you, regardless. I knew I could always count on all of you to be there.

To those that aren't coming back next year, just know that the impact you had on my life was nothing short of extraordinary; not one of you went unnoticed.

To the friends that will be here for my sophomore year, this is going to be a long few months. I miss every single one of you already.

To the instructors that I have had this semester, God bless YOU! Honestly, you guys are saints and don't receive nearly enough credit. If it weren't for come-to-Jesus meetings, being told to "audit my attitude" and having you guys to pick me up when I doubted myself, I don't know how I would have made it through this year. I truly feel sorry for the students who don't get to know you all like I do because they are truly missing out.

To NEO as a whole, it's hard to put into words exactly how I feel about you. It's because of you that I have so many amazing people in my life. Who knew that such a small college in northeastern Oklahoma could bring so many unique individuals together in such a perfect way.

You're everything I hoped you would be and nothing that I expected. You gave me a home away from home and a huge network of people that want nothing more than to see me succeed.

People might tell you all of these different statistics about jucos, but what they won't tell you is that when you choose a juco, you aren't only choosing a college to attend.

When you decide to go there, you also gain a perfectly imperfect group of people that will become nothing shy of some of the most important people in your life.