To My First College Friend:

I wouldn’t have wanted to start my first steps into adulthood with anyone else. There are not enough words on this planet to describe how grateful I am for you coming into my life, but I’m going to try my best.

Thank you for being my biggest support system. Whether it be giving me the confidence to ace my finals, or giving me the motivational pep talk I needed to go on a date, you always knew what to say. I’m not sure how you did it, but when I needed you, you were always there. You were my own little cheerleader. You gave me the confidence to do anything I set my mind to.

Thank you for being my home away from home. Moving away from home was one of the scariest things to endure, but you made it easy. You made the homesickness go away with each minute we spent together. You were the sister I never had but always wanted. I can honestly say that I felt at home with you.

Thank you for being reckless with me. If there’s any year to be absolutely reckless, it’s your freshman year of college. Because of you, I have so many stories from freshman year that I could go on for days about -- all of our adventures. I am so glad you made me come out of my shell because I have had a wild, fun, crazy college experience that should probably be turned into a movie.

Thank you for accepting every little piece of me. I still remember our late-night conversations where we would talk about everything for hours on end. It’s hard to find someone that knows and accepts every part of me, but you did it with ease. I really think we must be long-lost sisters because we are too similar to not be related.

Thank you for never judging me. A lot of mistakes are made freshman year, but you never judged me. You picked me up, brushed me off, and helped me get back on track. Without you, I would probably still be crying over some stupid boy or trying to learn how to use Tinder. I learned from each of my mistakes with you by my side.

Thank you for being my best friend. I told you everything and you were so interested to hear about my latest news. We never spent a minute apart, but I think we both needed someone to hold our hand as we ventured into the beginning steps of our lives. In the wise words of Meredith Grey and Cristina Yang, “you are my person,” and please don’t ever forget that.

Moving out of the dorms and into a different house without you by my side was very hard for me. I felt like I lost a piece of me. I’m sorry we’re not as close anymore, but I still love you just the same. I know that when I see you, it’s like we were never apart. I hope you know how much you mean to me. Thank you for making my first year of college a year I will never forget.