I’m a senior in high school who thinks she has her whole life planned out. I mean really I think I’ve had my life planned out my entire life. Since before I can remember I’ve only dreamed about going to one school and majoring in one thing. So really this whole “stressing out about college senior year” thing isn’t that stressful for me. Though I know next year will change.

You see I only had one application to submit, and it didn’t want an essay. So no I didn’t have to save it and finish it another day I just had to have the guts to submit it. Then in addition to that, my application was the application for scholarships so I didn’t have to submit anything else. So it wasn’t as stressful for me as it is for most others.

Plot twist: I’m graduating a year early so I can get to my dream school faster. So instead of applying to 9 different colleges I’m taking 9 different classes. Yes my senior year is actually quite stressful. It’s not the same stress as “awaiting college” stress, but believe me when I say it’s stressful to have to prepare for nine finals that determine your acceptance to your dream school.

As hard as the rest of the year will be, and as much as I’m praying I will survive(and graduate), I already owe thanks to the best class yet. See I was accepted to my dream school drum roll please LSU applause about a month or two ago, and on the acceptance letter they said to post a picture saying #LSU21. Now would you believe me if I said a hashtag changed my life? If by putting “LSU ‘21” in my Twitter, follow me @GraceH_2, bio actually helped me in more ways than one?

Well if you answered no to either of the questions above then keep reading because I’m about to blow your mind.

I immediately let everyone know I was accepted and put it in all my bios and everything. You know the usual “high schooler has big news” thing. But I never thought anything would come from it. Though I was proven wrong, and I’m glad I was, a couple days later when I was added to a groupchat named “#LSU21(tiger emoji)(yellow heart emoji)(purple heart emoji).” Yes it’s exactly what it says it is. It’s a groupchat filled with 53 people from all over the United States who committed to LSU for next year, and it’s the complete opposite of awkward silence. Over the past couple of days we have facetimed, played never have I ever, and almost never stopped talking. I woke up at 6 am the other day after going to sleep at 1:30am which was right after we finished one of our games of Never Have I Ever, and I still woke up to 566 messages only from them. Actually I haven’t unlocked my phone once without having to read text messages from them since I was added to it.

Though I am definitely not complaining because these people have become my literal LSU family. From planning a party nine months in advance to creating an address book with everyones info and to everything else we’ve done there is no doubt that the LSU Class of ’21 will be the best class at LSU. Though we all have to graduate first so we’re all helping each other out through our last days as a high schooler. Even though we haven’t gotten the chance to meet each other in person we have figured out a plan to see each other at freshmen orientation. And yes I can say that this groupchat will make it till May and beyond. We might only communicate over text and facetime, but you can truly get to know a group of people this way.

This is my thank you to the LSU Class of ’21. I’m so glad I met all of you all, and am thankful that I can always count on you all through all the stress senior year brings. I’m extremely glad I know fellow Tigers and can’t wait till we’re all at LSU next fall. We’re going to be the loudest, proudest, best class there, and I can’t wait until we’re screaming in the student section together next year. Bring back Neck! Geaux Tigers!