Dear Newgrounds,
I love you, very very much. To say that you've been a part of my life would be a gross understatement. You've influenced me in ways I could not imagine. I've practically grown up here. I don't remember a time before Newgrounds.
I've recently gotten accepted to the University of Rochester, a very selective school in the united states. And I was accepted only because of Newgrounds. Here is an excerpt from the admission letter:
Each of our 1,200 new Rochester students will have to make a critical, personal contribution to life on Rochester's River Campus. Learning about your experiences creating Concerned Joe has convinced me that you belong here. Your personal perspective will add value for every other student.
I do not give credit to myself. It's not my experience nor perspective that would make a valuable contribution. It's the spirit and experience of Newgrounds that I have been very lucky to perceive.
I remember one summer, years ago, when I would read a little bit of Tom Fulp's biography and Newgrounds' history every night while drinking Arabic Coffee. I'll never forgot how inspired I felt, and it shook me how one thirteen year old boy's dream could eventually grow so large so as to change the lives of so many people.
Four years ago, Xelu made a thread on Newgrounds called "Looking for a programmer". I checked it out and PMed him. We just wanted to make a game for fun.
And who would have thought 4 years later, thousands of miles away, we'd be meeting for the first time ever in San Francisco, headed for the Game Developers Conference to showcase the game that has become the focal point, and purpose of our lives for the past 2-3 years, Concerned Joe.
So I would like to say, thank you Newgrounds, for being alive and beautiful.
~Omar
