When I graduated high school and left for college my dad warned me that this was a time in my life where I was going to start seeing people disappear. He told me about how people, including myself, were going to change. He said slowly, one by one, the people I knew in the past were going to fade away, and the ones who truly cared about me would find a way to stay in my life. Well, he was right.

It's been nearly 3 years since I graduated high school, and I can honestly say that out of all the people who signed my yearbook guaranteeing we'd stay in touch, I've only been in contact with a handful of them in the past year. But you know, I'm honestly ok with that. No one ever tells you this, but friendships are hard to keep going. You try to get coffee or lunch on your free days, but sometimes things push you apart. People break up, new friendships are made, and the time you spend at home starts to get shorter and shorter. Eventually, the relationships just begins to fade.

To the ones it didn't work out with: honestly, I don't blame you at all. Back then, whenever I needed you most, you were always there. My first kiss, my first heartbreak, my first everything, it was always you who knew exactly what to say. And because of that, I will never forget you. It's just sometimes people change, and there's nothing you can do about it. As we grew up, we grew apart, and that isn't necessarily a bad thing. I still look at your pictures and I smile when I see how happy you are, because you deserve it.

To the ones who stuck around: I just wanted to say thank you. I know it's not easy being friends with me, and you loyalty is irreplaceable. I know whenever I need to cry, you're only a phone call away, and you always make my week when I seen your name pop up on FaceTime. For the first time in my life, home isn't home anymore. But whenever I choose to go back to the place I grew up, I look forward to hugging those who never left my heart. Seems like even though it's been years since we hit our prime, I never have a dull moment with you, and I doubt we ever will.

Don't have too much fun without me, but if you do, please call me the next day and tell me all about it. Also, tell your new boy that if he hurts you, I won't hesitate to drive home and show him how much I still love you. Thanks for sticking by me all these years, I miss you. See ya at Christmas.