Going away to college can be overwhelming at first, but you will meet new people and make lasting friendships. Through these four years you'll have ups and downs, but one thing will remain constant and that is your support system—your friends. Soon you'll realize that your friends mean more to you than you ever thought possible.They are your home away from home, and your second family.

1. They are overly protective of you and support anything you do

No one bothers you because they will have to deal with your friends if they do. You want to bring home that new person you've been seeing? Well they have to get your friends’ approval first and go through the “if you hurt my best friend” speech. These roommates always have your best interest at heart and really go out of their way to make sure you know they support you—even if you’re making a mistake.

2. Family dinner every week

It’s normal to get together at least once a week and have dinner. What better time to talk about what’s been going on in your lives? You can complain about all the school work you have due next week, and how much your social life sucks because of it. Either way, nothing beats a home cooked meal with people you care about.

3. When you’re feeling low, your friends know just how to make things better.

It can be as simple as crawling in bed to watch a movie together, or suddenly breaking out into song and dance just to see your friend crack a smile. Maybe you just need a successful girl's night filled with chocolate, junk food, and venting sessions complete with tissue boxes nearby. Your friends know exactly what to do so you feel better and you can count on that.

4. They are always around when you need them

You probably live with your best friends, so they are literally always there if you need them. But if you don’t get to see them that much there's always the group chat option where they are constantly blowing up your phone. That’s really okay though because if there’s distance between you, they are still a call or text away if you need them.

5. Quality time with the family

You actually look forward to “family bonding nights” because not one night is ever the same. You all huddle up on the couch and get ready for the new episode of The Walking Dead, or watch reruns of Game of Thrones. If you feel like being really active with your friends, you might try a game of Uno, or put on some throwbacks and sing karaoke.

6. You're completely comfortable

There are zero boundaries with your friends. They’ve heard you burp, smelled your farts, and held your hair back when you felt sick. Guess what, though? They’re still around because they are your second family. They have seen you at your worst along with your best, and still are with you through thick and thin.

7. You travel in a pack anywhere you go

Walking through campus? Going to grab a bite to eat? Do you need to make a trip to the mall? Well your friends will always be by your side. Anytime you go somewhere, expect at least 3 friends to tag along. Your family always encouraged the buddy system, and your friends are no different.

8. Fight and make up like nothing ever happened

Of course you get into fights, who doesn’t? That doesn’t mean these fights last a long time though. You can’t stay mad at your family for more than a few days because those are the people who love you no matter what. The same goes for your friends; no fight is worth losing someone you care about. You always talk it out and make up within a week because face it, your friends are your family.

9. Everyone takes a turn as the mom-figure on the weekends

There’s that one friend that takes care of everyone else during the weekends. She makes sure you stay hydrated throughout the night, get back home safely, yell at the guy who has been a jerk to you all night at the bar, stops you from making bad decisions, and even tucks you in at night if you’re too drunk to do it yourself. Everyone takes a turn at being the responsible one for the weekend, and you’ve never been so thankful before.

10. Being brutally honest

You can count on your friends to tell you the truth no matter how upsetting or embarrassing it may be. Your friends know it’s better for you to hear the truth from them, so they don’t hold anything back. There’s no sugarcoating the truth, because in the long run that only makes things worse and your family knows that.

You don't have to be blood to call someone a sister or brother. Family is defined by how close you are and how you treat someone. My friends constantly show me how much they care, and I couldn't be more thankful to have them in my life. They are my second family and there's no place like home.