An Open Letter to My Freshman Year Roommates

Dear Freshman-Year-Roommates,

I am writing this letter to you today because I'd like to acknowledge the impact that being your roommate for ten month has had on me. This is not meant to be hurtful or mean, but simply a reflection of how you made me feel. This is more of a thank-you letter than anything else. I'd like to thank you for a few things because all your actions came with lessons. First off, I'd like to thank you for excluding me out of your friendship and "roommate activities" right off the bat. Thank for this because if you hadn't done this, I wouldn't have built such great relationships with other people in our hall who I could now call my closest friends here. Thank you for making me feel unwelcome in my own dorm room and making me dread being in there. If you hadn't done this, I probably would not have stepped out of my comfort zone to get so involved on campus and become a part of all the wonderful organizations I am now a part of. Thank you for helping me come to terms with all the anger and hurt I had held inside me for so many years and for influencing me to reach out for help. Thank you for talking about me behind my back. This taught me to be careful who I open up to and to be guarded. Thank you for not respecting my space and for treating me like I don't exist. You taught me that I should speak my mind, speak up and keep quiet no longer. I must speak my concerns and worries because if not, I allow myself to be stomped on. Thank you for taking advantage of my kindness. Nevertheless, I will not let it rot my heart and I will continue to spread kindness and love. Thank you helping me grow. I'm sorry our relationship wasn't better. Maybe one day we'll meet in another life, and we could start a-new.

Warm regards,

Naydeline