This past week, one of my best friends was accepted to attend the University of Michigan. Her name is Isobel Grant and I have known her since first grade. We have gone to elementary school, middle school, and high school together. We have been in the same classes, done projects together and studied for countless tests and quizzes together. I have witnessed firsthand the amount of work she is willing to put in to achieve success.

Isobel has been the most dedicated student I have ever known since the first grade. Our teachers would call her a turtle because of how thoughtful and careful she was when completing assignments. The amount of times she told me she couldn’t hang out with me because she wanted to finish a project or study for a test that was in three days were numerous. While it was frustrating sometimes when she was unable to hang out, it clearly paid off.

As a friend, there aren’t enough good things I can say about her. She is beyond dedicated to everything she decides to put effort into and she has more self-discipline than most adults. She is funny and goofy and can always laugh at herself and help everyone around her to do the same. She is so beautiful and I know a sorority will snatch her up as soon as they see her. However, she is so humble that she would laugh it off if I said this to her. Most importantly, she is the kindest girl one might ever meet. Few people are willing to put everything aside to comfort someone in need, or to have endless midnight “heart-to-heart” conversations during sleepovers. Most people struggle when they need to sit and devote their time to a friend going through something, however Isobel doesn’t think twice to give the most considerate advice she can. She is a one of a kind girl and I’m lucky to have had her by my side for this long.

While she has been with me through everything, college puts us in unknown territory. There’s a large chance we won’t be attending the same school for the first time in twelve years, and if I’m being honest that scares me. She has been my rock all my life, a comforting constant when things change all the time. I can only wonder what might happen when I want to have one of our standard awful movie snack-feast-filled sleepovers to remember she could be in another time zone. I know that I’ll miss her endlessly but I also know that for every moment I want to be by her side she is just a phone call, FaceTime, or text away and that her bubbly giggle will be waiting on the other end to greet me.

It goes without saying but she will flourish at Michigan. This school is her dream school and there was never a doubt in my mind that she wouldn’t spend the next four years as a Wolverine. Deserving is an understatement when it comes to Isobel. It is obvious upon the first interaction with her that she is special and destined to do incredible things in this world. Regardless of how far away she is, I know she will always be my best friend.