My dearest Troy University,

As the end of the year finally prevails, and I find myself home for the next few months, I wanted to look back on my college experience thus far and be thankful for everything I have experienced. However, as I began making a list of everything I gained this year, whether it be knowledge or relationships, I realized that I couldn't have done anything without you. Without Troy, where would I be? Who would I be surrounded with? What would my life have been like if I didn't find myself moving into Cowart Dormitory at the beginning of August 2015, anticipating the year ahead of me? I will never know the answers to those questions, but I do know that I truly appreciate being a Trojan, and I couldn't imagine myself anywhere else.

I never expected to grow so much in college. I thought that I was mature, but college knocked me onto the ground and forced me to re-evaluate my choices. It was exactly what I needed at this point in my life. There are so many lessons that I've learned on campus that aren't taught in the classroom. I think people fail to realize that while college is important for the gain of knowledge and experience in the academic world, you learn the most about yourself and the world around you.

Troy, on the long list of things I want to thank you for, I am most thankful for all of the people that I have built relationships with over this past year. I was never a social butterfly, but I certainly can handle a crowd, now. I know that not everyone has the best intentions, and that is perfectly OK. Throughout this past school year, I have built a family. These people are the ones I will call when I need help, who will be my friends long into life, and who will be ideal for a professional network. I have been given the best mentors and teachers, people who understand my goal for life, who want to help me, They point out my flaws so that I can fix them, and help me prepare to change the world. This world would have been a lot lonelier without all of those people, and it would have been harder to adapt to college life if I didn't have all of those hands to hold.

I think the distance from home is important, too. As much as I love to flaunt that my native state is Maryland, going to Troy, Ala. was the best thing I could have done for myself. I never thought that my dream school would be so far from home, but I am so glad that it is. Learning to be more independent came easily to me, but I needed to learn how to separate myself from those at home. I love my parents so much, and the distance made me realize how important they are, and how I can't just go downstairs and hug them good morning. I was no longer ten minutes down the road from my best friends, and I stopped seeing my sisters as often as I used to. It isn't a matter of being out of touch because I call home often. It's a matter of not being there like I used to, and knowing that it is okay that I have my own world somewhere else. Distance showed me that home is definitely where my heart is.

While some lessons were extremely apparent, the small ones that slowly happen are just as important. Sunscreen is important in the Alabama sun, and sleep is key to a happy life. It's OK to ask for help, whether it is in the classroom, on the stage, or in life. Sometimes, the people who you will be closest to are the ones who you take three days to get to know. Accept your flaws and build on them, because failing only means that there is something to work on. Do your laundry, keep your surroundings as clean as you can, and call home often. It's okay to be sad, to be homesick, to be angry. We are small people who can make a big difference. These lessons are only a select few, and I couldn't have asked for anywhere better to learn about life.

I can't wait until we can be reunited again, Troy, and continue to learn about my school, my heart, and my world. My degree will be worth so much more than simply a key into the work world as the process of earning it will teach me so much more. Troy is definitely the school I love, and I look forward to seeing what else my college experience will introduce me to.