Dear Graduating Friends,

Ok ... Full disclosure: I once swore I'd never write an open letter style article. "It's not an article!" I said. "They're useless!" I said.

Then, last week I wrote one and felt great about it. So I decided to have at it one last time before I vow (again) to never write one (again).

This time, the focus is on all of my little gems, my beautiful friends who are graduating this semester. I'm so stinking proud. I'm also so jealous that I'm not in your boat, but I'm only a few boats behind! (And I am incessantly checking to make sure I'm not on the Titanic because that's what it feels like. Help me.)

But mostly I'm just so proud - I'll take a moment to say in way too many words what everyone else is telling you right now. You should feel so accomplished. You've taken at least 120 hours worth of classes, meaning you've sat through nearly 120 hours of lectures, wracked your brain during 120 hours worth of tests, committed yourself to 240 hours of homework, 30 hours of group projects, 100 hours of Starbucks (wait, do we measure Starbucks in hours?) and have been stressed for the previous and approximate 35,040 hours of your life. (That's a number of hours in a year x 4 years. Boo-ya college algebra. Nailed it.) How did you manage all of that?! Anyone who says superheroes don't exist has never tried to graduate college. You're a friggin superhero.

I don't know what I'm going to do without all of you. I'm going to have to, you know, talk to new people. I really don't want to do that. You're all just leaving me behind to fend for myself. Going off to be real adults... I simultaneously feel like a proud mother and a jealous boyfriend.

Who do I turn to when my professors don't make sense? Who will be there to binge drink frappuccinos with me? (Or at least be present while I drink them.) Who will be there to complain about the new students taking over the computer lab with me?

It is your time to take on the world. Every single friend I have graduating this semester is so incredibly capable, smart, determined, lovable and overall destined to change the world. I believe in you all so much. I believe in you SO much, in fact, that maybe I could just drop out now and you could all support me financially? I mean come on, you don't want to lose a friend whose willing to sacrifice her own college career based solely on sheer faith in you! So go ahead, write me into your wills now before you forget and start a family and stuff.

When you walk across that stage, you stand for hard word and dedication. You stand for commitment and perseverance. You stand for Starbucks. No, no... I'm sorry, Starbucks actually has nothing to do with this. This is your moment. You'll be starting a new chapter in your life. This is a defining moment for you; a time in your life where you can clearly mark a before and after.

Please don't settle. Chase your dreams. Listen to your heart. (Other cliches here.) Because if there's anyone I know who has no business settling for just OK, it's you beautiful souls I've met at the University of Houston. Good luck.

Paying homage to Elle Woods,
WE DID IT!!!! Go coogs!
(I mean technically, YOU did it, but you're supporting me right?)