Goodbyes are hard. Leaving loved ones even for just a little while is never easy and never something one wants to face alone. Lucky for me, when it was time to start saying my goodbyes as I embarked on a new journey, there was one person I did not have to say goodbye to: my best friend.

Coincidentally, my best friend and I ended up at the same college. It was neither of our first choice at first but later became a place we both fell in love with. My fear of leaving my best friend and not having her there to make me laugh or listen to me cry turned into excitement as I thought about all of the amazing memories we would create in a new place with new people to add to our special friendship.

When people found out we would be going to the same college, the same comments were made over and over. “Are you guys rooming together?” “Do you think you guys will stay friends?” “Oh I knew best friends who went to college together and now they hate each other.” Those things did not matter to me; I knew our friendship and what we shared, and nothing would jeopardize that, especially being at the same school. I never once feared that we would separate or grow distant from each other. Instead of worrying about the inevitable, I was so eager to take on this new adventure with my best friend by my side. I was eager to take trips to the library together, to sit in the chairs outside reading a book and enjoying the view of the Hudson, to painfully deal with the adjustment from home cooked meals to dining hall food. Every change seemed just a little bit easier to handle with her by my side every step of the way.

Don’t get me wrong. We are not attached by the hip and do not avoid talking to anyone else but each other. Instead, we made a group of friends together, and still have other friends that the other may not be as close with. That has always been the case with us. We were always able to still talk to whomever we wanted to without it affecting the relationship between us. I know that no matter who I come across, she will always be there, fulfilling the role as my best friend. I have the utmost confidence that she will be in my life forever and these four years at college are just the beginning of the adventures we are going to share together.

Trust me, it was a much easier transition knowing I had someone there to go through it with me. I love being able to knock on her door unannounced, have random sleepovers, and be able to cry to her without any real explanation. Sometimes I think back and wonder what life would be like if I chose the other school that was on the top of my list. I have no doubt that we would still be as close as we are today, but our shared experiences and memories would have dwindled and would definitely not be as special as they are.

So I want to thank you, Marist, for being the perfect fit for not just me, but my best friend, too. Thank you for providing us both with endless possibilities and opportunities that will benefit us to no end. Thank you for allowing us to grow and mature together as individuals, but more importantly, as best friends.

Goodbyes are hard. Luckily, I never had to say goodbye. Instead I say hello, every single day, as we take on the world together.