Every college student has two distinct friend groups: school friends and home friends. It may seem like the school group gets all the love, because most of the year is spent away at college with them, and all the Snapchat stories are of their faces, and all the tweets are funny things they've said, so maybe the home friends have occasional FOMO, but they needn't.

My Dearest Home Friends,

Thank you for always being there. I mean that both literally and metaphorically. You're always there for a break or a weekend for me to come back to, and to drag to Target or Chipotle or to the movies when I want to go. Thanks for only being a phone call away when I'm not home and I want to cry or scream about the stress of classes or an episode of Grey's Anatomy. You're always there for whatever I need, whether it's been an hour or three months since we've last talked.

Know that I talk about you, a lot. I tell stories about our "wild" high school adventures and all of our summer nights. All my school friends have probably heard your name and some of the funny quirks about you. They've seen the pictures you sent me that made me snort and you can bet I brag about our 400-day snap streak every chance I get. They know about crying over donuts and spilling wax on chairs, but they have no idea how great you are because my raving about you doesn't communicate just how lucky I am to have you in my life.

I'm glad to see you living it up out there. I want you to succeed without me, just as I'm sure you want to see me succeed here. So when I see you posting about classes I wish I was sitting beside you in and going out with friends I wish I knew, know that I am happy for you. Do I often wish that you went here or I there? Of course, I do. But I know that if you love there as much as I love here (and I hope you do), then you belong exactly where you are, and I don't wish to take that from you.

Know that I miss you every day and that I'm here for you, too. Know that I don't have to see you in order to be your friend. Know that I could never replace you and that I am not trying to. Know that at the end of the day I am all the things for you that you are for me.

I am rooting for you, always.

Until we meet again,

Your friend from home.