Having long distance friendships is bittersweet. Getting older, you shortly become busier and busier with life. When you’re a young adult maintaining school, a job, homework, etc., it’s hard to see your friends that you have been friends with forever, especially if they go to school far away.

I met my best friend in 8th grade, we clicked right away. I knew from the start that this friendship would last forever. It wasn’t always perfect, we have gotten in our fair share of fights just like everyone has, but we still always find a way to figure it out because we are best friends. We have had countless sleepovers, secret telling, putting on makeup, and we would always find something to do, it was never a dull time with her. Having her as a friend means everything to me. Having someone you can rely on and count on to always be there for you during the hard times and the good times, is pretty great. She always gives me her honest opinion on everything even if I don’t want to hear it. Friendships are something I take in value of, and I would never want to take that for granted. I appreciate the times and memories we shared at a young age because as we now get older, everything changes.

We use to talk to each other or see each other everyday because we would either be in school or be living 5 minutes away from each other. We would always be at one house or the other. Her mom felt like my second mom and we know everything about each other. I decided to stay close to home for school to save money and because I felt as if I wasn’t prepared to be in a larger school, my best friend on the other hand wanted to go to school three hours away. I had a sense of jealousy because I wouldn’t get to be with her as much anymore and other people would. I want her to do what makes her happy and I will always support my best friend with anything, so if that made her happy, I wanted her to do it. We now don’t talk as much, get to see each other as much, she’s no longer 5 minutes away, and I wish I could say it was easy. I know she is always a phone call or FaceTime away. But it’s now always exciting to hear when she is coming home because when we do get together, it’s like nothing has changed.

I look forward to sitting in the car listening to Taylor Swift with our Taco Bell in front of us, talking for hours, even if it’s not every other day anymore. I look forward to it each time I hear she’s coming home. The simplest things I now cherish and I know I will have these memories forever.