So here it is, y’all. I have been given the opportunity to write whatever I want in a column that will (maybe) be read by many. Here, of course, I say my thank yous.

Thank you to my parents, of course, for raising me to be the amazing, strong, independent woman that I am. I am forever grateful for your strict, but loving parenting because (no offense, y’all) I turned out much better than most (imo).

Thank you to every single one of my friends from birth to now who have also shaped who I am as a person. I would like to thank my siblings; my older brother for making it easy not to be like him, my sister for criticizing everything (it’s okay she’s pretty great…don’t get cocky now), and my youngest brother for being so much like me, but also not.

Thank you to my coaches, my teammates, my teachers for teaching me discipline and how hard work pays off. I love every single one of you (some more than others) and all y’all have played a large part in how I want to live my life.

Here I present my call to action, for those of you well-versed in literary essay techniques; this is where I call my audience to go out and do something. My challenge to you, my dedicated reader, is to be a positive influence, like every person I thanked in this column. Be inspiring and hardworking; be better, be kinder. Be more than who you are today.