I’m not ready to leave the place I’ve called home for the past four years, and I’m not ready to say “goodbye” to the peers I may never have the privilege of seeing again.

However, my fourth year of college is coming to an end and I have a lot to give back to the people, experiences, and memories I’ve made in these quick four years. Here are a few important “Thank you”s I’d like to give to my future alma mater.

Thank you for the people that you have brought into my life.

Most of the time people will tell you that the friends you make in college are the friends you’ll have for life, and I can only hope that that’s true. However, there have been so many other people that I have met in these four years that have taught me something about myself.

People that have come and gone are the ones who taught me that not everyone in this life is here to stay and that picking and choosing friends shouldn’t be isn't a bad thing. These are the people that I may have been close with and unfortunately grew apart from, you know who you are. Or the people I was friends with for a semester until it came to an end just because we sat together in the same class. No matter why we stopped talking, you taught me that in the end, the only thing that truly matters is the kindness people bring to the table.

Next, there are the professors that have taught me more about life than what’s in their assigned textbook. You are the people that are generating graduates that our future needs. You never made me sit through lectures about things I would forget in the next hour. Instead, you made me excited for class and excited to learn about life’s offerings. You taught me resilience and to never give up just because I have come face-to-face with failure a few times.

Then there are the people that I hope to God stay in my life forever. You are the people that pick me up when I’m down and tell me when I’m doing something truly stupid. You are the people that have gained my trust and never broke it. You are the people that I will truly cherish forever and I couldn’t thank you enough. You taught me that true friendships will remain true through the hardest of times and the best of times.

Thank you for the memories that I will forever hold close to my heart.

Whether it’s attending sporting events or going to class. I’ve only had memorable experiences, whether they’re good or bad. It’s these memories that will only drag me back for every single homecoming just to taste the college lifestyle that you gave me once again. Thank you for these memories; they have and only continue to shape who I have become today.

Thank you for teaching me self-control.

This could mean hundreds of things, and it does. Thank you for teaching me that even though procrastination kills, it still works. I learned that most of the time I get things done better under pressure. Thank you for teaching me to choose wisely. In regards to relationships, wisely choosing the people I surround myself with is one of the greatest lessons I’ve learned. And in regards to what I want to do with my life… I still haven’t chosen, but you taught me to keep my options open and to choose on my own time.

And on a less serious note, thank you for teaching me that going out to the bars the night before an exam is the worst decision ever. I sure as heck learned that lesson very quickly.

College has taught me so much more than I have addressed, but I’m just thankful that I have had the opportunity to create thousands of memories with the people that I will never forget. I’m thankful that I am where I am today because of the higher education I was able to finish because of all the things you’ve taught me along the way. Thank you, and I’ll see you at homecoming.