Coming to college was easily the biggest and hardest transition of my life. Some of you may not know this if you didn’t meet me until after freshman year, but freshman year was a struggle for me. Making friends was one of the most daunting tasks ever for me. I wasn’t someone who just naturally connected with everyone I met. I didn’t know what I wanted college life to be like, I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life, and I hadn’t been in a situation where I had to make new friends since kindergarten, and even that was a stretch because I had gone to preschool with some of the kids in my kindergarten class. Some of you came along the first day of freshman year and some of you I just met this year, but I want you to know, I am thankful for each and every one of you, and if it weren’t for you guys I wouldn’t have been able to stick it out.

Thank you for accepting me for who I am.

I can be loud and obnoxious. I know I have weird qualities. I know I can get annoying. I know I am always on the go and sometimes all you guys want to do is take a break. I know I like to talk about my dog. I know no one will ever care as much about what I have to say about my dog as I do. But usually you still accept me with these traits and listen to me talk about random happenings all the time.

Thank you for laughing at my jokes even when they aren’t funny.

I like to laugh and sometimes that means I come up with extremely stupid jokes that only you guys would ever laugh at.

Thanks for making me laugh.

They say laughter makes a much happier person and I fully believe that a day without laughter is a day wasted. Whether I am laughing at you or laughing with you, the fact that I’m laughing is all that matters.

Thank you for being honest and telling me that I look terrible instead of letting me go to a party looking like a fool.

I would much rather have you tell me than be the laughing stock of the party.

Thanks for being down for adventures.

Even if my adventures can sometimes be a little dangerous, you guys are usually down to participate. Even if it is 10 pm on a Thursday night and you have to be up for class at 8 am, you will drive around aimlessly exploring.

Thanks for making your closet, my closet as well.

Whenever I have “nothing” to wear (even though I have a closet full of clothes) you are always willing to let me wear one of your cute shirts.

Thanks for bringing home Panera for dinner.

When there are only random ingredients like milk but no cereal or pasta but no sauce, or when the fridge and pantry are full and no one wants to cook.

Thanks for bringing me things I forgot to the library when I am busy studying for the hardest exam or presentation college has thrown my way.

A 20 minute round trip just to get my laptop charger or 1 sheet of paper that is a key part of the project I am working on is a thought that makes me want to cry. That is 20 minutes that can be spent towards getting a passing (or hopefully much better than passing) grade on the assignment.

Thinking about the fact that I won’t live within walking distance from you all next year is a crazy thought. You have become friends that I hope that I will be able to stay in touch with for the rest of my life.

But the bottom line is…thanks for being my friend.