Hi guys. Can I be honest for a minute?

We all knew this was going to happen. We would graduate high school and move away to different places, whether it’s across the state or across the country. It’s something we can’t stop from happening.

This means no more classes together. No more meeting up before school in the spot we claimed as our own. No more group projects that end up waiting until last minute because we’ve been too busy screwing around. No more lunches together where we would need two tables to fit our entire group. No more hanging around the commons area for an hour after school just talking, then walking out to the parking lot together.

To be honest, I kind of struggled finding a friend group since middle school. But if I remember right, you guys were always in my life somehow. Even though I really didn’t consider myself to be in the group until around last year, I still considered every one of you a friend. Now as I’m writing this letter, it’s starting to hit me that we’re leaving and won’t see each other for a long time.

I’m excited to move on and go to college; I’ve been anticipating this moment for a year. I’ll make new friends and learn new things and change my life. But that doesn’t mean I’m leaving you guys in the dust.

Trust me, I’m going to want updates on your lives, because sometimes an Instagram post isn’t enough. You guys are my friends, no matter how many miles apart we are, and I care a lot.

Because we’re apart though, lining up things may be difficult. As much as I would love to Facetime you every week, we’re going to be buried in papers and exams. If we lose our Snapchat streak or I end up staying on campus for the weekend when I said I was coming home, please don’t be upset. It doesn’t mean I’ve moved on or anything. It just means I’m thinking about my future, and hopefully that means you’re still in it in some way.

I can guarantee this however: every one of us is going do something great. Now that we’re on our own for once, it’s time to take control and achieve our dreams. And you better believe that I will support you guys every step of the way, even if I don’t see you for months on end.

Also, I’m not worried about college taking a toll on our friend group. Sure, we’ll probably change in college (it’s sort of inevitable), but that won’t turn us away from each other. And if for some reason we do disband, just know that I wouldn’t trade a single minute we spent together.

Thank you for the bonfires that seemed to happen every week. Thank you for the volleyball games. Thank you for the movie marathons. Thank you for making prom more enjoyable than I thought it would be when I was 10. Thank you for giving me car advice. Thank you for being my best friends. And in the wise words of Dominic Toretto,

“Salute, mi familia.”