Yet another cloudy, endless winter has me wondering what I'm doing in Grand Rapids. I mean yes, deep down I do love learning and my school, but I would also love to see the sun and be able to drive a few miles down the road to play card games with my grandma. The stress of school and the weight of other daily frustrations tempt me to throw a duffel bag in my car, grab a couple sprinkle donuts and hit the road.

Which, I'll admit, I have done more than once, but it is not the most effective solution. Mostly because I don't have unlimited gas money.

When I reentered Calvin after a semester abroad, I was unreasonably bitter. I longed for the perfection of those four months; unlimited time for exploring Cathedrals, treating myself to cake and soaking in every meaningful conversation. The return to Michigan came with a lot of stress, both academic and otherwise, and I stubbornly refused to accept the change.

Not to mention, the phrase "Bloom Where You Are Planted" started appearing on everything: Coffee mugs, calligraphy canvases, and social media posts alike. At the time, I angrily decided I only wanted to be planted in England, and I therefore refused to bloom anywhere else.

Enter: my dear friends. This year more than ever, I have internalized the importance of my college pals. They are with me day in and day out. We eat breakfast, we go grocery shopping, study and guzzle coffee, hit the gym, explore downtown, go to church and everything in between.

They are a support system, conveniently right down the street and down the hall. They perfectly understand the discouragement of accounting class, the pain of homesickness, and the (totally valid) obsession with dogs. They write encouraging notes and share their chocolate. They read school papers and laugh at my attempts to be funny. They are consistent; they are much needed.

So yes, I am here to get a degree and embrace all that is life as a college student, but it is my friends that keep me from dropping everything and running away when I most want to quit. They are the reason I feel planted in Grand Rapids; they remind me how to bloom when I hopelessly forget.