Dear Kayla,

In a few weeks, you will be done with your undergraduate degree, You'll collect all of your belongings and move out. You'll look ahead at all that awaits; all the things you have spent the last three and a half years working hard for will finally be at your fingertips. You'll officially be out of college, and onto bigger and better things. There's no way to express how excited and proud I am of you other than to say just that. You deserve all the great things that have yet to happen.

From the first day I met you freshman year to the day I dread when I say goodbye as we part one last time, I know in my heart that there is nothing in the world strong enough to separate us. You are my forever friend, and someone I intend to be besties with until the end.

I remember one of my roommate's freshman year told me that "the girl in the single" was a sweetheart and that we should all befriend her. I wasn't super eager at that moment to introduce myself because I was anxious and stressed about the typical freshman things, like whether or not you'd like me or if we'd actually end up being friends. While I let this anxiety win, our friendship must have been destiny because in one of my first classes, there you were. You sat one row over and behind me, and you came in late the first day because you got lost. I wanted to laugh a little because usually, I'd be that person, but then I realized it was you and stopped myself. Once it hit me that you were "the girl in the single", I figured I should at least say hi so we'd each have a familiar face in class and back in our residence hall. You were frazzled from having gotten to class late. Little did I know that being late was one of your least favorite things (as it is mine). Little did I know that simply saying hi would open the doors to a newfound friendship and sisterhood I never had before.

After that, we quickly became best friends. We had similar schedules and walked to class together almost every day. We'd get coffee together in the AC Cafe and share dinners at the Callahan. We'd vent about the people in classes and how much work we had. We'd talk about people we shouldn't have and laugh about all the immature puns you came up with. We bonded over hatred of the same people, got to know each other better than we knew ourselves, and came to the conclusion almost immediately that we'd be best friends for a long time after college. I knew right away that "the girl in the single" was someone I was lucky to be friends with and someone I needed to keep in my life.

There was one thing, though, that we learned about you at (roughly) the same time. You had a seizure one day. I didn't really know what that meant, but I remember feeling terrible that it happened and not knowing how to comfort you as your friend. I remember how stressed and panicked you were about your major and your classes, and the day that you told me you went to your advisor's office crying, only to be told to come back later. You ended up switching your major to education, and while I was happy that you found an alternative, I was concerned that you weren't really following your true interest. It wasn't my place to say anything, and I'm glad I didn't; over two years later, I see that your true calling is working with other people. While your initial interest was to pursue a job in the dental field, I see very clearly now that you are meant to be where you are and that everything really does happen for a reason. While I hate that you had that seizure, I see now that it has led you to a point where you are better than you ever were. Things are really starting to fall into place for you and I'm BEYOND happy for you! That seizure led you to a new major, a multitude of doctor's appointments, a diagnosis of epilepsy, surgery, hospital stays, lost friends, new friends, an LL, love, support, a new dog, a new home, a new identity, and, most of all, a new you. You became the person you are today, and that is the person I am most proud of. I know sometimes it's hard to look back at all you've accomplished, but I look at your past and see someone who stands tall (not literally; you're pretty short) and proud. I see someone who has defied the odds and made her presence known. I see someone who is special, valuable, worthy, and so so so deserving of everything good life has to offer. I guess I'm just wanting this letter to demonstrate how much I cherish our friendship and how much I love you for you. You have given me so much support and encouragement along the way, and I am truly grateful for it all. There is so much more I have to say, but for now, thank you for the memories and congratulations on making it to graduation!

Love always,

Your LL