Dear Best Friend,

I'm so glad I met you. I never would have thought that I would find someone who understands me as well as you. Before this year, I didn't even know that you existed, and it is so crazy to even try to imagine life without you now. For the longest time, I was under the assumption that my high school pals would stay constant in my life, but I was so wrong. As we all went our separate ways toward college and into adulthood, we slowly lost contact with one another, and it turned out to be one of the best things that could have ever happened to me.

Now please don't get me wrong, I certainly miss my old friends. They helped me through some of the hardest and craziest moments of my life, like high school and all of its drama, and helped me make some incredible memories along the way. It really stinks that they couldn't be here to continue the legacy of our friendship, but God had a plan when he let me meet you.

I just want to say thank you. You helped me get adjusted to my new life away from home, and you definitely made it bearable. Thank you for the late night trips to Waffle House while we talk about all the crazy things that are happening in our lives, and for listening to me whine and complain when things seem to be at their worst. Thank you for driving us to Walmart for crazy adventures and for buying weird pets, like a Beta fish, without hesitation. Thank you for waking up earlier than necessary to get breakfast with me, and for encouraging me to go to class on the days when all I really wanted to do was lay in bed and sleep the day away. You encourage me daily to be a better person, both in and out of the classroom. You inspire me to stay positive and to become a productive member of society while doing the things that I love. You are literally the best friend that anyone in the world could ask for, and I got so lucky.

All of these things may seem like basic acts of friendship, but to me, they are so much more. I never thought that I would make such a strong bond with someone in as little as a year. You entered my life in the chaos of adjusting to college and you helped calm the storm in my life. You reminded me that college is supposed to be stressful, that it is OK to cry about it and that I can still get back up after life has kicked me down. I cannot stress my gratitude for you enough. You continue to make a positive impact in my life, and I cannot wait to see what the next few years have in store for our friendship. I love you, best friend.

Love,

Me