Wednesday, January 16, 2019 // The Statement
7B
Wednesday, April 17, 2019 // The Statement
7B
A love letter to “U”
I
decided to go to the University
of Michigan without ever hav-
ing stepped foot on this campus. I
had a really good feeling about it, and for
some reason, my gut knew. I loved what
people had to say about U-M grads — that
they are wicked smart and successful, but
also extremely friendly, kind and humble.
From the beginning, I was sure it was
something I wanted to be a part of.
I saw this campus for the first time when
I arrived for orientation. I knew so little
about the University that I asked someone
where the center of campus was, and for a
while, I thought it was the engineering arch
by the South University Espresso Royale. I
arrived here by myself, without knowing a
single soul, and ready to start my new life.
Sometimes, I think the reason why I
especially loved college was because I was
ready to leave high school and my booger-
sized, suffocating suburban town in New
Jersey. It was the kind of bubble where
every generation came back and did exact-
ly what their parents did. I was tired of
nonsensical drama and of not growing as a
person. College, to me, wasn’t just a place
to get a degree. It was my chance to finally
become the person I wanted to be but had
hidden in constant fear of being judged. It
was the promised land where I could start
new, make friends and learn, learn, learn.
My first semester, I was having so
much fun meeting people and getting to
know my new home that my mom texted
me two months in, asking if I was alive.
I had completely absorbed into my new
life of classes, friends and tailgates. Now
as a graduating senior, I think back on
how every day, even with the difficult and
stressful ones, has been so exciting. As I
write this, with 27 days left, I still wake up
every single morning in disbelief that I get
to be a student here.
It honestly makes me angry, after all
the waiting I did to get to college, that this
experience is already coming to an end.
A lot of my friends at other colleges say
they’re ready to graduate, but I am heart-
broken at the thought of ever having to
leave. I want more time here. I want to go
to Charley’s trivia a couple more nights
and attend one more basketball game. I
want to have one more movie night over
feta bread and one more long run as the
leaves around the Diag start to change col-
ors in the fall. I’ll even take another exam
to stay here for a minute longer.
It’s been pretty terrifying and miser-
able to watch the days go by during my
senior year. Friends that I chose to be my
family for the past four years are signing
leases and confirming start dates for their
jobs all across the world. I won’t be able to
simply call them up for lunch or see them
every single day in class. We won’t be see-
ing Main Street at sunset or deliriously
giggling in the UGLi at 3 a.m. I try to con-
stantly remind myself that it’s a good thing
I’m devastated about graduating. It means
I really built something special here.
So other than this being a tale of woe,
this is my thank you to all the people who
have made these past four years the most
special and happiest of my life.
Each and every one of you has filled me
with more love and support than I could’ve
ever imagined or thought I deserved. I
cannot wait to see where you will all go,
because I know you’re going to be doing
impactful, thought-
ful and incredible
things. You are all
more
than
just
another person on
this planet. You’re
going to be leaders
and mentors (and
the best!). I learned
what it truly means
to have a commu-
nity when I came
to college because
of your words of
encouragement
and thirst for life.
I have cherished
our times together,
whether it’s a messy
night at Rick’s or
a chat on our walk
to class. You didn’t
just accept me for
my
eccentricities,
but also encour-
aged them to shine.
Thank you for being the best dance part-
ners and for always making me laugh.
Your admiration of intelligence and
creativity has inspired me to always work
hard. We have all excelled in our own
rights and prioritized our responsibilities
as students, while always putting rela-
tionships first and balancing the perfect
amount of work and fun. You have taught
me to grind through the long hours, think
beyond textbook material and be diligent.
You have instilled in me ambition without
the need to bring others down, but instead
to value others as part of the team, the
team, the team. Thank you for believing
that being smart is cool, being different is
even cooler and being kind is a necessity.
Most importantly, you have been there
for me in my lowest points — when I was
stressed about career choices, grades
or life in general. You reminded me that
everything was going to be OK, and time
and time again it always is. We experi-
enced each other’s worst moments and
helped each other through our mistakes.
You were my coach, and motivated me
through the toughest of times out of pure
love.
Thank you for never giving up on me
whenever I gave up on myself.
Because of all of you, I learned for the
first time to enjoy life as it comes. I have
become a better family member, colleague,
stranger, friend and human being overall
by learning from you. The compassion you
have shown has filled me with an energy
to only do good things in the world. I hope
you know that even if we don’t touch base
often, I am forever appreciative of you. The
love you have given me has made me love
myself, the person I’ve become in college
and who I will grow to be in the future.
I think that’s what makes this place so
special. It reminds me of a conversation I
had with friends at the end of sophomore
year about how extraordinary this place is.
On this particular day, we had been sitting
on the steps of the University of Michigan
Museum of Art, enjoying a rare warm day
with what felt like the entire population of
Ann Arbor. Some students were playing
frisbee outside, others were running late
to their next class. The commotion of stu-
dent life happening all around us, through
the stunning campus buildings and quaint
State Street stores, created an unparal-
leled energy. We reflected on moments like
this where we look around campus and
think how lucky we are to attend the great-
est university in the world.
Now, as I’m at the home stretch, I see
that it’s the people, and our belief that
the success of another student on campus
is a shared success, that make this place
extraordinary. I mean, my friends cared
so much that they would wake up early just
to call and make sure I got up for morning
exams. We’re bonded by this culture and
experience that is like no other. This place
is straight magic.
Michigan, you are my first and greatest
love. Thank you for giving me the chance
to meet these friends who have forever
changed me.
This University is a classic Midwest-
ern school and is known for being amaz-
ing at sports, but it’s more than just that.
Besides the archaic private school labels
and beyond the sports, it’s a place where
people excel in every field and interest
imaginable, while also growing to be gen-
uinely good human beings. It’s a place of
possibilities, and it’s a place that has given
me more happiness than I’ve ever known.
I got to spend four full years surrounded
by endless opportunities and remarkable
people. I now have a lifetime to think back
on these memories, and strive to make
more that could instill as much joy.
Go 18-year-old me for choosing the
University of Michigan without even visit-
ing. You knew what you were doing when
you chose this school because you heard
the people were good. Thank you, Mom
and Dad, for giving me this life-changing
opportunity, and Michigan for being the
best decision I ever made. How fortunate
I am to call myself a Michigan Wolverine.
How blessed I am that no matter where I
go, the adage is true — this campus and the
people in it will always be my home.
And of all the beautiful cities I’ve seen,
this is still my favorite place in the world.
How lucky I am.
BY MICHELLE KIM, STATEMENT COLUMNIST
BY YASHASVINI NANNAPURAJU, STATEMENT CONTRIBUTOR
ILLUSTRATION BY CHRISTINE JEGARL