To those who have helped me succeed,

Graduation is a great time for reflection on the past four (or even five) years of a college student’s life. During my time in college, I’ve encountered so many helpful people and programs that made this experience easier and more enlightening. Whether you’re reading this as a fellow upcoming grad or a fresh-faced freshman (I worked on that pun for a while), let this open letter be a guide for expressing gratitude to all the ways you’ve received assistance and support along the way.

Your professors are more than just teachers. Sure, they may have guided you through writing classes or helped you to pass chemistry exams, but they’re also resources for life. My professors helped to instill in me the importance of hard work and pushing through difficult lessons. They worked patiently to make sure I understood more than just the lesson plan. How can you show them gratitude for all they’ve done? One great way is to put effort and time into course evaluations. These evaluations are often extremely important for professors, especially those new to the job. Make sure to highlight specific ways the professor helped you or stood out.

Another important group that deserves to be thanked is your family. Perhaps they provided financial support for you, in the form of tuition or room and board. But even if you paid for your own education out of pocket or through scholarships, it’s a safe bet that they were still rooting for you the whole way. Focusing on your studies is, of course, an excellent way to demonstrate your gratitude, but making sure to simply tell them the many ways they encouraged you will go a long way.

College is also a time for establishing and growing the connections you’ll have for a lifetime. Your high school friends are always going to be important, but the folks you met in the dorms, libraries, class, and off-campus living will often be people you know well into adulthood. A study performed by Purdue University found that friends made during college are often long-term, even when a distance is between them. Because people tend to move after college for jobs or relationships, I suggest you take time to let them know how important they are before graduation is over. Throw a party, cook them dinner, or just make plans to hang out more often. Trust me – the best times of my college career were spent with hanging out with buddies, even if weren’t doing much at all.

We often think of colleges as being populated by students and professors. However, there are plenty of working-class folks that help to brighten your college experience. There are custodial staff, maintenance workers, dorm employees, and food court workers that would heartily appreciate your thanks. These are people who may earn the minimum wage or not receive benefits, and who still work hard to keep the spaces around you comfortable.  A card to workers in your dorm or building employees could be a great way to not only say thanks but to establish a new friendship.

Finally, you owe yourself a great deal of gratitude. Whether you’re planning on continuing your studies at a graduate level or heading off into the brave unknown of the working world, you made it through a four-year degree! All those late-night cram sessions, hours spent in the computer lab, or sprints across campus to get to class on time have finally paid off. It can feel bewildering or overwhelming, but if you’re ever struggling to make it through college, it’s always helpful to sit down and make a list of all the things you have to be grateful for in college. Congratulations, wherever you are in your college career. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to try to not cry as I walk across the stage at graduation. Dang, too late!

All the best,

Alpha Kappa Psi