Missouri Southern,

When I first arrived, I immediately thought I was going to transfer. For the previous four years of high school, I always wanted to go to Mizzou and felt I should go there after my first year. Two weeks into joining school, I joined a sorority. I never wanted to join and honestly, I felt like I was putting myself out there too much if I was just going to transfer in a year but I thought "what the heck". Two weeks after that, I grew closer with my professors and pretty soon, this school was home.

You gave me a home outside of my small town in Texas known as "the bubble" and you gave me an opportunity to find myself. I was always told that I would switch majors at some point but I never did. I always stuck with the Communication department and now, one week from graduation, I am so glad I did. The professors in that department are very much family to me. I know I could walk in there in the midst of a mental breakdown and I would get made fun of in a loving way and then told to grab a cup of coffee. I know I can always go in there for a laugh or with any questions that I may have about an assignment. The communication department is just a small part of how MSSU has become a second home to me.

Zeta Tau Alpha. I joined because I wanted the t-shirts and I wish that wasn't the reasoning but it definitely was. I am now leaving with multiple but the friendships I made are vastly more important. I am so happy that I can walk into meeting and be completely myself. I know that each and every one of my sisters will always be there for me and get me through the best and the worst times in my life. Zeta is forever and is another small part of how MSSU has become a second home to me.

My friends, not every one of my friends are in the sorority, I made some through my major and other random classes I had throughout the years. The people at Missouri Southern are unlike anywhere else. They are so kind (even when they are stressed to the max with homework) and are so supportive of everyone. I am so thankful to have made some forever friendships.

Looking back, I am so thankful that I did not end up transferring. I remember my advisor joking about how I wouldn't end up transferring because MSSU is wonderful and then joked about how he ended up being right. As much as I hate to admit that he was. I would not have wanted to experience college any where else. You gave me the best (so far) four years of my life and ones that I will always remember. Here's to all the cups of coffee I drank and all the friends I made.

See you later, Missouri Southern.