Dear Class of 2017,

Cheers to you. It is your final year in college and you have to face the real world in May 2017. Isn't it amazing how fast college has gone by? You're right, it isn't amazing, it's down right scary. We have gone through all-nighters, sorority recruitment (some of us not willingly), tutoring sessions, early morning gym sessions to maybe help us relax (but it didn't help). We are finally making that break through sprint to home base. Ready to slide across the dirt and accepting that diploma. As a fellow senior, I just wanted to say the capstone projects, the senior thesis classes, and our final goodbyes to our dorm rooms (if you are still on campus) will be over before you know it. Three years have flown by and it feels like yesterday we were hugging our parents goodbye in August 2013.

Senior year is going to be scary, heart-wrenching, overwhelming, stressful, exciting, and down right the hardest year. You will be taking your hardest and easiest classes this year in order to walk across that stage to shake hands with the Dean and take what is rightfully yours. After the blood, sweat, and tears you deserve it. You made it. You should be proud of yourself. Even the times when you thought completing a project last minute was a bad idea but you procrastinated anyway. You got a C- on it to your surprise and kept that scholarship.

The real world is coming as are the tears from underclassmen you made friends with. Your sorority little, sorority sisters, classmates, etc. They supported you through it and are ready to see you walk across that stage. Find that job, that rented apartment, happy hour Fridays after working 9-5 each day, and don't give up. Those student loans will be kicking in soon after you graduate and there will be hell to pay, literally.

Take a deep breathe.You made it. You survived core, college physical education classes, and even classes you had to take even if they had nothing to do with your major. So be proud of yourself. The blood (from the paper cuts), sweat (from doing your homework outside), and tears (from finally turning in that dreaded project) actually made a difference and got you where you are today.

Best,

A fellow senior.