As summer is coming to a close (thank God) and it's almost time to return back to campus, I decided it would be fitting to share a speech I wrote at the end of my freshman year for my oral communications class. You know, reflecting on my past year of college as I get ready to head to my next one and all that good stuff. As I head into a new semester, and move into my first apartment, I am eager to see what there is in store for me this year. I'm sure sophomore year will have even more lessons to teach me.

So...here it goes:

I think you can all agree with me when I say that this year has been unlike any other, and almost a rite of passage into adulthood. Our first time living away from our parents, our first time getting a taste of sweet independence

To my freshman year, I thank you for teaching me a plethora of life lessons. For example, the importance of shower shoes, and the newfound ability to sleep through my roommate’s alarms for her 8 a.m.'s no matter how loud they are. In addition to this, thank you for teaching me how to get ready for class in three minutes flat, and that it is possible to survive off of nothing but coffee for two days straight during finals week. And, let’s not forget, it is most definitely anatomically possible to gain 15 pounds in less than two months.

Freshman year has helped me to become a master procrastinator, but still manage to get everything done in the knick of time. And, it’s shown me that naps really are a necessary evil.

Without you, freshman year, I wouldn’t know the complete irrelevance of the “food pyramid” or that there is no limit to how high you can pile the garbage in a trash can.

In all seriousness though, freshman year, you not only introduced me to a variety of incredible people, but also to so many great experiences that I never thought I would partake in. Who knew that I could move into a building with a bunch of strangers, in a random city, and end up finishing the year with my best friends and a newfound love for San Diego.

To my freshman year, I do hope you rest in peace. We had a good run, and it was fun while it lasted, but I am not too devastated to see you go. The idea of my own room again for the summer and not having to carry a shower caddy to the bathroom each morning makes grieving your death a whole lot easier.

Here is a toast to our freshman year, and not only all of the things that we will be leaving behind with the death of it (such as tiny twin dorm bed and swipe card), but all of the knowledge and experiences gained. Cheers to you, freshman year.