To Our College Seniors,

Your final semester of college is underway. Time really flies, doesn't it? It must seem like yesterday you were attending your freshman orientation, and now, you're getting ready to graduate. You're probably in disbelief that your college years are coming to an end, and trust me, you aren't the only ones, because as your loyal and loving underclassmen, we're in disbelief, too. So we wanted to give you an extra special pep-talk before you go on your way.

First of all, we are so proud of you. You are living proof that coffee (and maybe a small bit of alcohol) can do wonders. You pulled all-nighters, worked extra shifts, spent weeks on presentations and papers, and still managed to find time to sit down and spend a meal or two with us. That's pure dedication. There were a lot of rough patches (we heard about every single one), a lot of people you wanted to scream at (we know them all by name), and many times when you wanted to throw in the towel. But we helped you back up the best we could, and we watched you succeed beyond your wildest dreams. Graduating college is more than an accomplishment; it's a big milestone. You woke up, rolled out of bed, and made it happen, and that's certainly something to be proud of.

We know that under that tired yet smiling face of yours, you're probably freaking out about what's in store for you next. And we don't really blame you; it's a scary world out there. You're trying to juggle the final projects of college while trying to figure out how you're going to enter the real world in a few months. Job interviews and resumes, finding your own place, and everything else that becoming an adult involves is very daunting to think about. But remember how daunting the mere thought of college was? You overcame four years of that and you'll overcome everything else that comes your way. It's not going to be easy, so whenever you start to struggle, remember how far you've come and far you're going to go. And don't be afraid to give us a call if you need a helping hand, a break or just a good laugh. We might not always have the best answer or advice, but we promise we'll always answer.

Of course none of us would have survived without you, so thank you for being our role models. If you thought you were the only one who learned from your mistakes, we're happy to inform you that you were wrong. Your stories of what not to do will help guide us through the rest of our college journey, and your advice was probably more helpful than you thought. To have someone to go to who's been through it all before is the most reassuring feeling in the world, whether it be a quick text freaking out about missing an exam, or a long late-night rant about what seemed like the worst week ever. You were and still are one of the strongest support systems we have as we make our own way to graduation in a few years, and we could never thank you enough for that.

But, if it's not already a given, we will miss you more than you could ever imagine possible. You made these past semesters not only more bearable, but memorable, too. Who's door are we suppose to knock on when it's time to go grab dinner? Who are we going to complain to about our professor who assigned us way too much to read? Nobody else is going to scream at our windows from outside until we stick our heads out and say hi. It just won't be the same without you next year. Our time together wasn't nearly long enough, but we're so excited to see what you'll accomplish in the future (if you'd like to stay another semester, however, feel free to do so).

We couldn't be happier and more blessed to have known you. Promise us you'll at least try to stay local so that we can have a visit or two! And when your name is finally called and you walked across that stage, don't be surprised to hear your fan club cheering our heads off for you.

Congratulations, you soon-to-be graduate! Enjoy your final semester!

Love,

Your College Underclassmen