Since coming to college, I have made so many great friends. I'm fortunate enough to have found a group of friends who are funny, intelligent, beautiful, and full of life. But the closer I get with my friends here, the more I miss the ones at home. Making new friends is like dating; it's a trial and error process. My high school friends and I clicked immediately, and it was smooth sailing ever since. It's hard when the same thing doesn't happen at college. So, I write to my high school friends to let them know they are in my heart, forever and always.
I Will Love You No Matter What.We may reach a point where we stop speaking to one another. It may not be this year, or next year, or the year after that. But, it could happen. I just want to let you know that I will love you matter what. High school had its ups and downs and we all know that. You all have seen me at my best and my worst; how could we forget that? Even if one day, we haven't spoken in 20 years, I will still love you because you made such an impact on my life. Of course, I will do everything I can to keep in touch, but life is funny and we must accept that. But at the end of the day, I love you all more than you can ever know—don't ever forget that.
Make New Friends.It's college! Enjoy yourselves! We've all known each other since grade school, so this is a unique opportunity for you to branch out. Talk to someone you would have never have considered talking to in high school. You are now out in a diverse world so enjoy every moment of it. Make friends from different parts of the world, so you always have somewhere cool to visit. Your hometown friends will always be there for you so don't worry about excluding them or not talking to them for a few weeks. You are all beautiful souls and other people deserve to know that. Share your positivity with them.
Travel the World.Some of us went to school far away, while others stayed close to home. No matter where you are, please see the world. We have everything in front of us, and now is the time to take advantage of it. Don't worry about the time difference; we will get your iMessages and snapchats no matter what. There is no reason for you to stay in North America forever. Take a vacation, study abroad, or do a foreign internship. Get out there!
Your Mistakes Do Not Define You.College is a gold mine of new opportunities. That can be a positive and a negative thing. You may fail a test. You may eat one too many cookies in the dining hall and hate yourself for the rest of the week. You may get into a stupid fight with your friends and start to feel angry and alone. You may fall in love with the boy who was just trying to sleep with you. It hurts, I know, but you have such an excellent support system to build you up when you fall. You are smart and beautiful and accomplished. I'm always here for a lengthy Skype session or phone call when things don't go the way you want them to. But remember, take it one day at a time and things always get better.
College is About Finding Yourself, Not Someone.You are all majoring in such cool things. From pharmacy, to communication, to photography, you are paving exciting careers for yourself. But please do not be looking for your Mrs. Degree. College is a time of self-exploration. Use that. Of course, boys are fun to be around, but don't make it the college experience. You don't want to be the girl ditching her friends to hang out with the guy you just met because you think it'll go somewhere. Live in the present and focus on what's in front of you. Beauty fades, but knowledge is forever. Plus, you don't want to waste you tuition on a slew of boys who really don't matter in the long run. At the end of the day, it's your girlfriends that truly matter so make the most of your time and enjoy the best four years of your life.
