Friends are as important as your boyfriends or girlfriends and considered family. Currently, I am only a sophomore here at the University of Delaware. Yet, I have realized and gained a myriad of insight since I've been here. As I am growing up, I am realizing that I only need a few good friends in my life. I am sure many can attest to that because the only people that truly matter to me are the ones that are always there for me in the hardest of situations.

Throughout middle school and high school you are still walking the hallways with not the slightest clue about what your future will be like, and only thinking about the present with the 100 friends you do have at the time. What you probably don't realize or haven't realized yet is that a majority of the friendships you have built at this young age are not going to last forever. Don't get me wrong, the friendships you build during these years of your life can be fun and fabulous. The following years are meant for growing and finding the people in your life who truly matter.

High school is where you're inclined to find a group of people to associate yourself with- a friend group. The friend group can consist of however many people you want, however, mine consisted of about ten. This is a very sufficient number of friends who you can enjoy yourself with, laugh with, go out and do activities with, and simply just talk with. Like I said, the fun years of your life will be remembered most with your "friend group." I look back to high school and can easily say that the group of girls I associated myself with were the most kind hearted and sweetest girls I have ever met thus far in my life. On the other hand, I also knew I was ready to move on to college and make some new friends.

As time went by and I headed into my freshman year of college, I became more appreciative of my home friends. I felt as if we respected each other's space including experiencing new things with other people. When I went home for my first break, I saw them all and really valued their loyalty to me as we kept our friendship alive. We were all fascinated by the many adventures that we shared with the new friends we made in college. I listened to their stories, and accepted that we still have each other, but also moved on to a new chapter in our lives.

As more time went by, and my spring semester was coming to an end, I found myself drifting away from some of my friends I grew up with. Of course, it is a little sad but it's bound to happen and definitely meant to be. Thus, the very powerful phrase: quality over quantity. I can safely say the quality of my best friends from home are always by my side and there to support every single decision I make. I always feel wanted by them. Even if we don't talk for weeks or months, it's still the same as if we talked yesterday. I feel like one of the most important things about friendship that I so luckily acquire is that you will always feel comfortable around them: always being there for them, to give advice, and a shoulder to cry on. These are the most crucial points in a healthy friendship. Additionally, your best friends are supposed to bring out the best in you, to simply let you shine.

Choose quality over quantity every time. Choose what you think in your heart is right and never second guess that. These are the type of friends you need to cherish and hold onto for the rest of your lives.