I'm going home in a couple of hours to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family. I'll be working Thursday, Friday AND Saturday this weekend because, as you know, Christmas presents aren't going to pay for themselves.

While at work, I will likely see many of my old high school friends as they, too, will be home to spend the holiday with their families. I always feel awkward around the people I spent time with in high school because I truly am a different person now. I'm sure they're different people too, and I'm also pretty sure we couldn't understand each other anymore if we tried.

College has taught me a lot of stuff. Go figure, huh? Not education stuff though. I think the most important lesson I've learned in my three and half years here is this: You've got to be happy with who you are before you can worry about what others think of you. All my life, I have based way too many of my actions and reactions on how others would think of me. Now, however, I don't give a damn what others think of me (well, people I don't care about, at least), because I've learned to be happy with who I am and to make improvements in areas of my life that I'm not happy with.

I've also learned that being "friends" with someone for years and years doesn't mean a thing. After only three years here, most of my "college friends" know me better than my "high school friends" (whom I have known, in many cases, for 16 years) ever will. Thanks to all the people I've met in the past three years who have been supportive and accepting of who I am. Somehow I found a way to be myself around you, even though it took a while. Your friendship means more to me than I can say and the thought of leaving you in a month really pisses me off.