Move-in day.
This day certainly holds some significance for those attending universities, boarding schools, or new homes. This day, regardless of where one may be transporting themselves to, consists of the anticipation that a change often carries, as well as new beginnings.
This year's move-in day for me, though it being my second as I have entered my sophomore year, was much different from what I had experienced that year previous. While I would be returning to my small, relatively hushed campus in pursuit of my nursing degree, my best friend, Gianna, had moved to the Metro Campus that was Temple University after having commuted during freshman year. Her sights were set on a criminal justice degree.
It was, and still is, as if we are living in separate worlds. Given that our friendship has lasted for nearly thirteen years, however, living in polar opposite environments has not worried me in the slightest. I know that, despite our mutual struggles towards achieving outstanding grades and our shortened conversations due to our ever-shifting schedules, we will always remain as connected as we have been during these years.
To Gianna, and to other pairs or groups of best friends that are now separated:
You will do incredible things. You will, no matter the weather, have a best friend that is a mere text message away, a simple phone call away, in order to bring some light into your cloudiest days. You will strive for what you have been so eager to accomplish for nearly as long as I have known you, which is an absolutely beautiful thing, and you will grab hold of those dreams with an iron fist.
A friendship does not necessarily mean to spend all the time in the world together; rather, a friendship should instead last all the time in the world, and then a few years after that. A friendship that is true should remain intertwined despite the distance that may tug at its strings, that may lessen the laughter and the opportunities to wear coordinated outfits. A friendship is not always about the hand-holding and the matching sweaters, but instead about the ceaseless support that is given in a wide variety of methods; whether through messages, phone-calls, letters, or delivered presents. The ways to assist and to encourage a friend are endless, and it is a true friend that is able to both find and use them.
College is temporary. It is a privilege that we have been blessed with, that many of our age will unfortunately never be able to experience. However, friendship is permanent. Friendship is something that all of all ages, backgrounds, and occupations can keep close, which is a lovely concept. Whether across towns or even oceans, friendship is something that does not conclude with a graduation cap. It is something that stretches beyond our graduate education, and beyond the length of our careers. It is something to never be taken for granted, and something that exceeds all expectations.
Gianna, you are one of the lights in my life that never fails to lift my spirits. Please, even while we are apart and even while you are unable to watch as I choke from laughing too much, remember that I am still here. And, for those that have friends that are pursuing their educations from a distance, remember to remind them that their efforts are never ignored.
