I remember my first week at Luther. I was excited and nervous. Not for classes or anything, but nervous about all the people I would meet. I was never one to be nervous about whether I would make friends; no, I anxiously awaited for those who would be the family I always wanted. They say that college is the time when you will make connections that will last a lifetime, and I wanted that to be true. I didn’t have the greatest family situation back home, so I wanted to meet friends that would make up for that. People who I would love unconditionally and vice versa. Looking at the many people I met, I would mentally ask, “Are you the one?” I wondered out of all these people which ones would I depend on in the next four years. The answer came in a girl whose outspoken nature resembled much of my own. In a very aggressive manner, she came up to me and stated, “I like you, we’re going to be friends.” So it goes. She’s literally been my A1 since Day 1; my ride or die.

However, she isn’t the only. I have been lucky enough to have a family here at Luther College. We call ourselves girl squad. Each member unique and special in their own way. Chai, Sami, Laura, Kailey, Michelle, Liz, Maria, Brooke, K-Ross, and Belle. My girls.

Sami, thank you for being goofy and dorky in all the right moments.

Laura, thank you for your selfless giving, as you give us the best preparations every weekend.

Kailey, thanks for being our wildflower and know that we miss you.

Michelle, thanks for being genuine and keeping us all on our toes.

Liz, thank you for always keeping it real and reminding me what’s best about myself.

Maria, thank you for being that friend who always dreams and offers poetic advice daily.

Brooke, thank you for reminding me why I’m at college and to always strive for the best version of myself.

K-Ross, thank you for being my partner-in-crime on many wild nights.

Belle, thank you for always taking care of me in my worst times and wiping away unnecessary tears.

Chai, thanks for not being afraid to approach me that day and initiating one of my most important friendships.

As I look back at our first semester together, we’ve had testing times. Moments when it seemed like friendships were something that could easily be broken. But, like family, we recognized that our love was bigger than anything we were fighting about. At the end of the day, our love for each other is what keeps us all together, and I love that. I love how we struggle through the week like hardworking college students. I love how the weekends are our moments to go crazy. I love how no guy has ever come between us. I love how those guys who dare hurt any one of us always wish they hadn’t.

Although I love all of these things about us now, I can’t wait for graduations, weddings, baby showers, group vacations, and those moments when we look back at our college years and say, "can you believe we did that?” We’re almost one year done. Let’s go for another three, shall we?