Many people find their lifelong best friends in high school or college. Other people are very lucky and find them in pre-k, elementary school, or middle school. Those people who will always be there for you, who you will fall back on when times are tough, and those who will, one day, be in your wedding party. Throughout my college years, I have realized how incredibly thankful I am for my forever friends that I have back home and just how much I rely on them when life gets a little difficult.

I was lucky enough to meet one of my best friends in pre-k and to this day she is still my number one "go to" person. Middle school is where I was lucky enough to meet the rest of my best friends and our friendship is still as strong as ever even after all of these years. From kindergarten nap time to high school graduation, I've had an amazing group of people by my side, the same throughout 12 years. As college approached us, the majority of my friends and I all went separate ways, instantly wondering what would happen to the bond we all had for so long. Though we all worried that we would quickly grow apart with the upcoming change, I now know after three years that growing apart will never happen for us.

Getting winter break, spring break, or even a long weekend, usually calls for a trip home for me and the people I grew up with, keeping in mind that I live in a somewhat small town. Not seeing or talking to a number of them in weeks or even months is shocking when we get together to catch up. Rather than college distancing us all, it has brought us together more than ever, which is something we could never have expected. We share our wild stories and talk about all the new things that have popped up in our life before diving back into our normal routine of things we used to do for fun while growing up. Coming home from the stress of classes, work, and drama to relive the memories we all once made is something I have always loved. It's almost an easy friendship and a relief to have a break from the fast pace life.

Growing up with a tight group of friends made it quite easy to find those who would one day be at my wedding party. Many laughs, tears, hugs, and arguments have come from all my friendships. Through all the ups and downs I'll always be incredibly thankful for my girls. The girls who will always be by my side and who will always be there, no matter how long it has been since we have talked. I've made some amazing friends in college but my "back home" friends will forever come first.