On the first day of training, some of us were so excited we couldn’t stop talking, some were too nervous to even laugh at our supervisor’s lame jokes, and some were seasoned veterans in the orientation game, ready to get the show on the road. Some of us had our go-to people right beside on us on staff and some of us came in barely knowing what to expect, never mind knowing anyone else. Despite all of the different places we started out in, we all ended up in the same place after the last orientation session of the summer: on the office floor, laughing about ridiculous things our students said and crying about having to leave each other for the rest of the summer.

I want to thank you all for that summer. When I got the call that I was going to be an orientation leader and could barely scream “yes” into the phone, I knew it was going to be a great summer, but I would never have guessed it was going to be the best thing that ever happened to me and I owe that all to you.

We saw each other at our very bests, when we led our groups through silly ice breakers or when we danced on stage doing the moves that we still can’t help but bust out when our songs come on. We also saw each other at our very worsts, when we spent nine hours packing folders, only to be told they all needed to be redone, or when we had a student that refused to cooperate, no matter how hard you tried. We saw each other light up when we shared our biggest hopes and dreams, and we saw each other break down when we shared our biggest fears and regrets. We saw every part of each other, and we still became a family.

So to my staff, thank you for seeing me at my highest and my lowest, and loving me anyways. Thank you for always reassuring me that I was hired for a reason, especially when I had an entire group of miserable students who wanted nothing more than to leave. Thank you for always being down for beach trips and building sand castles to forget about the boy who broke my heart. Thank you for not only helping your students grow but for helping me grow into the best version of myself. Thank you for friendships t hat didn’t end when the summer did.

To my staff, thank you for being the best part of the best summer of my life. You’ll forever hold a place in my heart. Don’t believe me? Just watch.