Whether they are still in high school or leaving to go away to a different school, leaving your best friends is almost as hard as saying goodbye to your dog. When August arrives, so does the one day that best friends every where dreading-- the day their other halves leave for college to start their own lives. It gets to the point when you miss them so much you FaceTime them when they haven't even been gone 24 hours, just so you can watch them decorate their dorm room, so you feel like you're there with them.

After spending almost every day of the last four+ years, it could be a huge adjustment. Only after a few days without my best friends my heart is heavy and I'm ready to go visit them. When your 500+ miles away from your best friends, like I am, things could go wrong. The time change between us can cause miscommunications which causes you to just miss them more. You go from having two closet to one; no one at your new school gets your inside jokes or weird noises and you feel like a part of you is missing.

The joy of having a best friend is something I don't take lightly. Even though we are miles apart, I know I can confide with them, cry with them over FaceTime, laugh with them, but most importantly there is that unspoken but mutual understanding that you two will be there for each other no matter what. Remember that the distance is just as hard for them as it is for you, and that just thinking you miss them isn't the same as the effort you put in to show how much you care for them and miss them.

Always be there and support them through what's going on in their life. Surprise one another every now and then, it keeps things exciting and those are memories you guys will always hold on to! It shows you care, even if it's something small! Even though you know this was coming for a few years, it doesn't make it any easier. We weren't going to end up going to the same school, because as much as we compliment each other, we have vastly different career aspirations and knew it was going suck.

But that makes the weekend visits and vacations back at home mean so much more. Remember to tell your best friend you love them every morning and with as busy as you may become in college, always remember your hometown forever best friends.