So, it's been awhile since I walked down those halls, heading to your class. It's been awhile since I cried over my first B and it's been awhile since we said goodbye. I know you get hundreds of students that pass through your classrooms and sooner or later, we all start to blur together. But I just wanted to let you know I learned a lot from you, and not all of it was on that syllabus of yours.

1.You taught me to be respectful.

Your classroom was never a democracy. It was a dictatorship and that's not a bad thing. Your word was law and I won't lie, those first few years scared me. But you showed me that respect is necessary and if you give it, you'll receive it.

2. You taught me how to speak my mind, but know when to stop.

We were high school kids. Obviously there were those "occasional" debates in class, sometimes over controversial topics we didn't quite understand. You taught me that I can have my opinion, but no matter how loud I speak or how hard I try to get someone to understand me, some people won't ever see things the way I do, and that's okay.

3. You taught me that there's more to life than school.

You had a life outside school, a spouse, kids, friends. Listening to your life story gave me goals, something to aspire to.

4. You taught me that grades aren't everything.

They're important, but one bad grade won't actually haunt me forever. So crying over that B probably wasn't completely necessary.

5. You taught me to work together.

Dreaded group projects. But hey, I learned to deal with that girl I did not like and that's how life is going to be. It prepared me for group projects in college, which are way more in depth, and it's going to help me when I eventually leave school and have to get a real job in the real world and work with people I really don't like.

6. You taught me work ethic.

"This project cannot be done in a night" seemed like a challenge until I took your class. I worked hard, I tried not to procrastinate, and I was proud of the work I did. And the work ethic you required me to build, I'm proud to say I haven't entirely lost in college. (Not going to lie though, I have stayed up the night before an essay was due to finish it)

7. You taught me that the loudest voice isn't always the right one.

That girl who never seemed to shut up? The one who talked to loudest, was the bossiest, and no one stood up to? You taught me not to follow people like that. You taught me not to follow at all, to make my own path, because while it might be harder, it's all mine.

8. You taught me that hard work pays off

Science was never my thing and anyone who knows me can tell you that. But after I had studied for weeks before a test and I finally got a good grade, I can't even explain how good that felt.

9. You taught me that I can't always talk my way out of things.

I tried so hard to talk my way out of finals in high school and while sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't. And those finals I did have, boy, I would definitely take those back in a heartbeat compared to the ones I have in college.

10. You taught me that sometimes life happens.

Bad things happen to good people. Watching you go through things no one should ever have to go through, from loss to sickness, made me realize that everyone has this inner strength. Life isn't butterflies and rainbows and as much as people want to tell you, it's dangerous out there in the real world. But if you can power through the unthinkable, I can too.

While I may not have left some irreplaceable mark on my high school, just know that you left your mark on me, that I learned things from you I'll never forget. I can never thank you enough for all the countless life (and academic) lessons you taught me throughout the years. And know that you'll always be a little bit more than a teacher to me.