“You sit in class next to a redhead named Abigail, and soon enough you’re best friends…” –Taylor Swift

For me it was super curly brown hair named Alicja, but you get the idea.

When Alicja called me today, we talked for two hours catching up on everything I had forgotten even happened since I’d talked to her last. Because if you don’t tell your best friend, did it even really happen? I took her virtual shopping with me, and she took me on a walk in a beautiful town in Poland. I told her I was struggling to write my weekly Odyssey article, so she jokingly suggested I write it about her…

1. You contemplate what you ever did before you met her. You know that you lived 19 somewhat successful years on this planet without her exploring the city for cool murals with you, taking the most ridiculous pictures and helping you navigate the subways because you’re too lazy to use a map and too poor to use an uber. But it’s hard to remember a life without her.
2. You wonder where the heck you were when this life decision was being made? I don’t remember giving my approval, yet somehow there you are thousands of miles away, and gone for a whole year!
3. Every Facebook post, Instagram picture and hilarious meme reminds you of her. And she’s too stubborn to conform to societal norms and create an Instagram, so you can’t even show her how much you think of her!
4. When you inevitably make new friends, it kind of feels like cheating. But then you remember she’s your best friend and she wants you to be happy. Besides, you both know nobody could ever replace her.
5. You are so grateful for video chatting and texting apps and snapchat (so she can still approve your outfit before a big date), but as soon as the internet starts to lag you question whether you can even do this long distance thing anymore! It hurts far too much to hear half of stories and see a blurry face through the screen, when you can’t go for dinner and stare at cute boys together.

6. You hear about her Lizzie Maguire-esque foreign flings and can’t help but wish you guys were there together to explore the...umm...masterpieces that abroad has to offer.
   
7. You become incredibly sappy and write articles about how much you miss her, instead of what you wish you could be doing; getting coffee and sharing every single detail of your day like you used to, from the adorable dog you saw on the elevator (Duncan, you know I’m talking about you!) to the cute barista who wrote his number on the side of your cup.
8. You realize the whole, “distance makes the heart grow fonder” thing is meant for people who don’t like each other very much. For best friends, distance is just stupid.
9. You contemplate dropping everything and going to visit her multiple times a week. And then you remember you have school, work, and no money to just pick up and travel across the world because you’re too much of a baby to get through the week on your own.

10. You realize just how much you need her in your life, even if it is just for that minute before you go to bed when she’s just waking up.
11. You count down the days until she gets home…and since she’s having such an amazing time she keeps extending that date, but underneath the crying and whining you express to her daily, you’re happy for her and can not wait until that day is finally here.