In high school, I didn't have a real group of friends for awhile. It wasn't until my senior year that I found a specific group to spend most of my time with. It was good for me, I think. I was social with everyone and friendly and I had good conversations with everyone in my classes. But I didn't know who to go to the football games with (besides my best friend Rachel), I didn't know who to go to Homecoming with (when Rachel took a hiatus from school dances), and I was never sure if I really belonged. It was very lonely at times. I liked kind of being in everyone's friend group, but I didn't know if I was truly welcome at all times.

And then Lex and I became best friends and we formed a group. And it was a very solid group. There were many arguments in the group, but that's to be expected with opinionated people. We fought, we didn't hang out sometimes, but it worked. We created a GroupMe. We pretended to be a family (as is a frequent occurrence in my friend groups). We even had a family name. It was one of the best things to happen in my high school career. I had people that I belonged with and a definite place to happily eat lunch. I love all of them, still. I like running into their arms whenever I see them.

So when I got to college, it was still hard for me to figure out where I belonged. My tendency to float between groups became an insecurity. I didn't feel like I fit in with any of the quirky, smart, funny friend groups that I found. I found people that I loved dearly, but not a group that I felt like I was completely a part of.

But things changed, and I am so glad that they have. I have found sarcastic and sweet friends to always eat lunch with, curl up on the couch with when I'm sad, to laugh with and go to football games with and dress up in fancy clothes and heels with just to dance around the floor, annoying our downstairs neighbors.

I am glad for all of the people that I befriended in high school, and I am so appreciative of the best friends that I keep with me from those days. I hope to grow old with them. I hope to grow old with these friends, too. I'd like to be able to tell all of my great-grandchildren about the wonderful friends that I grew up with.

I like having people to come home to. I like having platonic hands to hold and bodies to hug and smiles to return. I adore lasting inside jokes, and the people that continue them. I am so happy and feel so supported and loved. I don't want this feeling to go away, and I hope that it never does.