Dear freshman year,
First, I want to thank you for the memories. I have made so many amazing memories that I will keep with me for the rest of my life. I have met some of the best people in my life. I am so grateful to have these people in my life. I was so nervous about college because I wasn’t sure if I would “fit in,” or if I would meet people that would appreciate me for who I am — but I did — and I am forever grateful for them. I think my best memories so far have to be meeting my girlfriend, best friend, and roommate; playing “Mario Kart” for hours with my best friend in the dorm; sitting in the kitchen with my roommate talking; and singing Taylor Swift songs in the car with my girlfriend. So far, these people have already made my college experience great even though this year has been tough.
Secondly, I want to reflect on how much I have learned this year. Freshman year has taught me so much about myself and others. I have learned how to be more like myself, although I am still working on my confidence. I have done so much better than I ever thought possible. I have learned to laugh as much as I can. I think it’s important to share laughter with the world because you never know when it could really help brighten someone’s day. Lastly, I have learned how much love could exist inside myself and others. I never realized how hard I loved people until my girlfriend pointed it out. They told me about how it was one of their favorite things because it shows how good of a person I am. I think love is so important, and I am grateful that I have people here that have shown me so much of it.
Lastly, I want to reflect on how hard this year has been and how I want to do better next year. I’m not going to sit here and lie to you all: my grades were not the best they could be. It took me a while to be okay with that, but I truly am okay. For anyone struggling with how their freshman year went, just know that you did it. You got through this tough first year, and now you are ready for round two. I believe that we can do it. I had a difficult year because I dealt with physical and mental health issues that affected my day-to-day life. So next year, I plan to get ahead in classes and stay on top of my assignments. But I will not be too hard on myself because I know that won’t help, so neither should any of you, whether you are a freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior. I know we are all under so much pressure but remember to take care of yourself because you are so much more than just your academics.
And just like that, it’s all over. So to end this letter, sophomore year please be kind to me.
Xoxo,
Katie