Friendships are truly the most important relationships in your life. You choose these people to surround yourself with, and they're there for you in the best of times, and the worst of times. My friends and I build our friendships on a platform of trust, admiration, and a lot of sarcasm. Here's a letter to my dearest friends that I've been with since elementary/middle school:

Hello idiots,

While we may mask our love and respect for each other with 7 layers of false hatred, sarcasm, insults, and jokes, there's a bond between us that is unmistakable. I mean, the fact that you've stuck around for this long is rather impressive. We've been friends for about a decade now, more or less, and the fact that you haven't left my side means the absolute world to me.

We were there for each other through the years that we spent enjoying our childhood as kids and pre-teens. Whether it was playing with "Littlest Pet Shop" toys, exploring the woods near our houses, climbing trees or watching movies, we always had enough fun to last a lifetime. Thinking back, those truly were the days--we didn't have to worry about anything but being home before dark and not cutting ourselves on the branches we climbed.

You were there for me for the entirety of my awkward phase, which included several micro-phases (i.e the scene phase, the Lil Wayne phase, the annoying loud phase, etc) and while you still make fun of me for having dark brown hair with my side bangs dyed blonde, or my obsession with yoga pants, the truth is you never left. You always understood that I was just expressing myself (or rather, my own pre-teen angst.) And while some of us went through the Warped Tour phase, some the Justin Bieber phase, and some the Bermuda Shorts phase, we've made it far enough that we can look back and ruthlessly make fun of each other for those choices.

While we grew older, and our lives became more nuanced in that we started dealing with new situations such as dating, family, responsibilities, and a plethora of other obligations, we were there for each other in a more meaningful way. A shoulder to cry on was always just a block away. I especially have you guys to thank exclusively for being there when I had panic attacks or when I had troubles at home. I know I was, and still can be, a handful but you were always there to bear the load of my issues and for that I'll be grateful until I take my last breath. And while you guys definitely have your shit together 10 times more than I do, I hope you know that I'll always be there for you no matter the situation.

As we mature and evolve into adults, our friendship has taken on a new persona. We may not be able to see each other as often as we did when we all lived on the same street, but even in completely different towns we're still able to count on each other. As friends, we're able to be completely honest and while we'll always get on each other's nerves, it'll never be for too long because our friendship is stronger than any petty argument we can get into.

I have more memories with you than I can count, and so many inside jokes that I've forgotten. I can't imagine my life without you guys, because every memory I have contains you in it. I'm so happy to have been able to grow up with you, and I'm even more excited to take the next steps with you. Thank you for being my support system, the people who call me out when I'm being annoying, and most importantly the people I can be myself around. I love you guys. Also you guys suck and I hate you.