Growing up is rough. Breakups and backstabbing friends and unfortunate events are bound to happen but Isabelle, Gracelynn, Mackenzie, and Brittany kept me sane through any and everything. They always say that the friends you meet before college won't last, but I beg to differ. These 4 will always hold a special place in my heart. To my best friends from a small town in Ohio, this is for you. I love you. Come visit me soon. Hug your friends tight and tell them you love them, one day they'll be 250 miles away and you'll wish you took advantage of being twenty minutes away from them on any given day. I know I sure do.

Dear Isabelle,

My concert buddy. The craziest and wildest girl I know. The person I can always call to sing music at the top of our lungs, with the windows down, in the middle of town. Isabelle, meeting you through Instagram my sophomore year has truly changed my life for the better. You were there through my one of the worst summers of my life and one of the best. You never judged me, you never looked at me differently. You were there when I needed you the most and when I continuously told you to leave me alone, you never did. I am forever grateful for you for that. Your persistence and laugh are truly contagious. I have seriously missed our crazy adventures so much since coming to college. I love you. Come visit me soon.

Dear Gracelynn,

I never imagined I would be friends with someone as genuine and beautiful as you. You literally turn heads when you walk in a room and people aspire to be as truthful and kind as you. You quickly turned into someone I knew would be by my side forever. We clicked immediately and you have truly become my best friend. You're the person I can sit in bed with and eat Pringles and watch movies or go to Steak 'n' Shake because we're bored and we can't sleep. We truly are the dynamic duo and I'm missing my better half in Lexington. I love you. Come visit me soon.

Dear Mackenzie,

Bowling alleys aren't the same without you. You make me laugh like no other and you tell me how it is, no matter if I want to hear it or not. We have a different kind of friendship that I will sincerely value forever. No one else understands but I could look at you a specific way and you would know exactly what I meant and vise-versa. I can be my goofy self around you and watching you grow into this stunning, courageous, and strong individual has made me proud to know you and call you not only my friend but my sister. Eight-year-old me is crying without you. I love you. Come visit me soon.

Dear Brittany,

Anyone who knows me knows this one is the hardest. You have been my rock, my partner in crime, my shoulder to cry on, literally my everything for as long as I can remember. We are one and the same. Brittany without Emilee or Emilee without Brittany has been practically unheard of since the sixth or seventh grade. You have been through the most and you're still going. Against all odds and against all predictions, you're still going. You're intelligent, gorgeous, outgoing, and can seriously make anyone laugh. Literally, she's a catch, boys. You never cease to amaze me and never fail to make me smile. Your ambition and drive to be a better you for you are so motivational and I hope one day I can be half the person you are today. Being without you has almost killed me. I love you. Come visit me soon.