Starting college is scary. You're thrust out of the comfort of your childhood bedroom and your beloved pets into a world of other adolescents -- a world of strangers, dining hall food, and community bathrooms. Though surviving the bathrooms and the food just takes time, having someone to endure the terrifying, exciting, and sometimes painfully awkward first few weeks of college with you makes the experience a million times easier.
1. Going to those awkward orientation activities with you.
The team-building games are 100 times less awkward when you have one familiar face to laugh at them with.
2. Also sitting inside with you and avoiding orientation games when you were sick of team-building, but didn't want to seem like a complete loner.
I promise I'm not afraid of people. Not even people I don't know. I just prefer to avoid them when I can, okay?
3. Eating all of your first meals together when you hardly even knew where the dining hall was.
This was before I knew how common eating alone is in college, so sitting at a table by myself was nothing short of mortifying.
4. Someone to talk about your high school and your friends from home with.
Because spending four of your eighteen years there makes it seem like an integral part of your life story, but no one else cares about your high school stories. Thanks,
5. Someone to complain about my first ever college classes to when they are way harder than expected.
Or when you do poorly on your first test in a class that only has two tests. We've all been there.
6. Someone to help you meet other people.
Your friends from class + their friends from class = twice as many people! Look at that, you've already got a head start on everyone else.
7. Someone to show pictures of your dog to when you really miss it.
Because once again, no one else really cares. But come on. My dog is the best. Who wouldn't miss this dog?
8. Someone to explore campus with so you look like less of a dumb freshman.
We aren't lost. We're on an adventure, obviously. There's a big difference.
9. Someone to drag along to new clubs when you don't want to try them out alone.
Walking into a room full of people who are meeting for a club you know nothing about is one of the most intimidating things in the world. Having a friend's support makes it exponentially more feasible.
10. Knowing no matter how many other friends you make during the span of college, that your first friend will always hold a special place in your heart.
We may be in different sororities, different classes, different majors, and different clubs, but we will always make time for our friendship, and I am so grateful for that.
