I grew up with the two greatest friends one could ever have. We met through swimming, attending practice everyday for 5 years, basically moving into one another’s homes. We were your un-biological sisters, accepted into one another’s families, and always together. Despite the fact that we went to different schools, it didn’t stop us from seeing each other, one way or another, somebody would always volunteer to make the 20 minute commute across town, and well, it was obviously worth it.

Now we’re in college. Our days of competing against each other in high school, and sharing a lane during practice were memories, little did we know how much we would bond in college.

One lives in Illinois, and the other in Arizona; then there’s me in Colorado. You could say that it’s definitely a long distance friendship, only seeing one another a few times a year. Our times spent together are unforgettable, and I wish I was able to see them more. Thank god we have Skype & Face-time and calling & texting and the postal service.

I wouldn’t be who I am today without those two great girls. They are my sisters, and always will be. They’re the greatest, most trusting friends I have ever met. The days we spent swimming with one another in the same lane brought us closer than ever before. All the events we raced at swim meets challenged us to use each other as competition, bettering ourselves.

We were all swimmers, we graduated swimmers, but only two of us ended up swimming in college. The other supported us every step of the way. I would trade anything to be able to see them more, but believe that we are individually growing where we are. We will always have each other, day in and day out.

One day, they will probably be in my wedding, two maid of honors because I wouldn’t be able to choose one. We’ll travel the world in a trio, exploring each continent by the other’s side. We’ll be at each other’s college graduations’ because we are each other's biggest supporters.

The long distance is hard, and only seeing each other a few times a year is tough, but I’ll continue to wait for them as long as I have to. They’ve stood by me for this long, and I wouldn’t want to go through life without anyone else by my side.

Anyone in a long distance friendship knows the difficulty and hardships of saying goodbye at the airport and wondering when you’ll see your best friends again. The hardest part was finding a new friend group at college because you long for the laughs and humor that your best friends bring you. Together, we’ve stuck through it for this long, and two more years of college will only make our friendship stronger.