Growing up and leaving the place I have called home for so many years was not easy, but leaving you guys was even harder.

We have been through it all learned a lot, and changed a lot. The only thing that has remained constant is our friendship. Going off to school and meeting new friends and having new experiences is great, but there is something that will never replace all those years growing up together. From being unsure elementary schoolers to feeling like we had the world at our fingertips senior year. Years of laughter, tears, and car rides blaring our favorite songs will forever be ingrained in my memory. So many important lessons were learned and mistakes made with you guys by my side.

It seemed like it would be impossible to get through life without you guys.

At graduation, I remember telling my mom that I would never have friends like my high school best friends again. I was in tears explaining to her just how much you guys meant to me. I dreaded the day that I would have to say goodbye to leave for school. While I was right that you guys are irreplaceable, I went off to school and met people that I would soon call my best friends. Seeing you meet new friends and creating new memories brought back floods of emotion. We were growing up and moving on from our hometown days. Although things changed, I never questioned our friendship. I knew that this was just part of life. Although change isn't always comfortable, it is necessary.

We all had new experiences and a new group of friends.

Texting and FaceTiming made it easy to stay in contact, but I could tell something had changed. For so long, all our stories involved each other, so having to keep each other in the loop was weird. We counted down the days until we would be home on breaks. I remember thinking that waiting until Thanksgiving to see you guys would be impossible, but of course, time flies. We talked for hours, laughing and catching each other up to all the crazy times in college. It felt different, but not in a bad way. We all had changed, maybe matured a little, and definitely found our new home away from home in college.

By the end of freshman year, I didn't want to go home.

My home was now at college. I had made friendships that felt like family, and while I still missed you guys like crazy, I had moved on. But, coming home for the summer changed that. I was apprehensive that it would feel weird being in the same hometown that we loved for so long. However, when the time came to pack up the tiny dorm room I had called home for nine months and make the long drive home, all I could think of was having a whole summer being with the friends that I have loved for so long.

This summer has been nothing but fun. We are closer than ever, and our friendship is stronger because of the time spent away from each other. Going off to school has made us realize that some friendships are irreplaceable. There is something about the comfort of a friend that has seen you at your absolute worst and watched you grow up all while remained by your side through thick and thin. I truly think of you guys as family. I know that no matter where this crazy life takes us, I will always have you guys to call on.