Going into college, I thought I would hate living on campus. The thought of being surrounded by strangers throwing parties on campus, sororities berating me about joining their group for $300 every month and being crammed into a room the size of a normal bedroom with one other person and all my belongings was never appealing.

My freshman year, I lived off-campus and drove to school every day. I thought this is what I would do all four years. It was cheaper than staying on-campus and I had control of when I wanted to stay and when I wanted to go. It was nice in the beginning, but then I started realizing how hard it was to go to events I wanted to be at when I needed to drive home before dark.

I decided at the beginning of my sophomore year that I would just endure the cost of living on campus and signed up for housing. I was placed in Helms, which I made myself believe was better than living in a dorm. I met my only other two suitemates -- Somer and her roommate. Within the first four weeks, two more people moved in -- Sabryna and Shannon. When they first moved in, I never knew that they would become my best friends.

Throughout my sophomore year, I grew extremely close to these three ladies. The only other time I had connected with people like this was the summer before my senior year of high school while I was at Governor's School, and that connection was with people I was in classes with, not the people I lived with. In my deepest and darkest times, they were all there for me. They helped pull me out of the worst depression I had ever experienced. They made me laugh on days when all I could do was cry.

Between the late night trips to Target, their support at my concerts, screaming at "The Bachelor/Bachelorette," crying at "Grey's Anatomy," attempting to help each other with homework we know nothing about, and attempting to say Dulce de Leche, these ladies are the reason I am so excited to return to Wingate University in the fall. I can't wait to laugh with them again. I can't wait to live together and decorate our apartment together. I can't wait for my junior year to begin.