To My College Friends,

Well this is weird; you know I don’t like to do emotions. But here I am writing a letter to thank you all for being some of the most amazing, influential and loving people in my life.

Some of you came into my life first semester freshman year. One of you watched me trip up a flight of stairs and decided then and there that I was a quality friend candidate. Two of you I met when we joined the college radio station – and now for some reason people think we are equipped to run it. More of you I met through club sports teams, my sorority or in a random class. Some of you, I am surviving my major with day by day. But all of you serve a special place in my heart.

You have all helped me grow into the person I am today – the crazy, mom-like, person I am today. And for that I thank you.

There aren’t many people I can text at 10:30 p.m. on a Monday night to ask if I can wear ballet flats the next day. There aren’t many people out there who will call me at 12 a.m. to ask if I am OK. There aren’t many people in this world that will steal a frat boy’s jacket for me when my jacket has been stolen (still looking for it).

I have a standing lunch date with three of you. Every Tuesday and Thursday you can catch us in the dining hall, talking about everything from the times that one of us gets lost to the amount of coffee I drink.

I am lucky enough to have one of you be the polar opposite of me. You are from California, own more trendy clothes than I ever will and I don’t think I have nor will I ever see you in a pair of Bean Boots (which is all I wear), and yet you are one of my favorite people. You call me out on all my crap, tell me when I am being too crazy and when I need to be a little crazier.

Friendship in college is the hugs you get when you are leaving a party and the desperate pleas of, “Text me when you get home, so I know you are safe.” Friendship in college is when your Big texts you because she’s proud you went out on a Thursday. Friendship in college is having too many people attend your birthday dinner. Friendship in college is endless texts and Instagram likes, constantly changing Snapchat best friends and group chats that kill your battery.

So my college friends, thank you. Thank you for making me feel like a school of 15,000 is only a school of us. Thank you for getting lost and letting me find you. Thank you for walking me home and texting me that you are safe. Thank you for helping me survive our major and the professor that almost killed us all.

Thank you for understanding that sometimes I need to be told “I am coming out” and thank you for providing me with stories that I will laugh at forever.

So here’s to us. Here’s to the memories we’ve made, the memories we are yet to make, the laughs that we have had and the new friends that are coming our way.

I love you all more than you will ever know.