Today, college students have a world of possibilities at their feet. One of which is having the chance to study abroad. A new place, new faces, new sights to see all while staying on track with school. The chance to study abroad is fantastic and I consider anyone who gets that chance to be extremely lucky. But when my best friend and roommate got the chance to move to Spain for a year to study, my feelings didn't stop at happy. I went through an entire roller coaster of emotions. I decided to share for anyone out there who goes through the change of having their person move across the ocean.
1. Did I give you permission to move across the country from me?
"Wait, you're moving where???" This was my exact response when my roommate/bff, Mel, told me she was moving to Spain for a year for school. Don't get me wrong, I was beyond excited for her and the adventure she was about to take part in, but how dare she leave me behind? I mean, did I miss the part where we took a group vote on this?
2. Oh, you're really doing this?
I remember the very last visit I got to have with Mel before she left America behind for a year of traveling, making new friends, and drinking lots of Sangria.... I mean.... water. The feeling was so surreal. It didn't really sink in that the girl that spent the last two years right down the hall from me, will no longer be right down the hall. I realized I couldn't go banging on her door when I was having a bad day or drag her to Walmart at odd hours when I craved caramel pecan cookies. And let's not forget, I now had to binge watch How To Get Away With Murder all alone.
3. She's gone.
I'm not going to lie, the feeling of having your best friend move half way across the world feels a lot like getting dumped by Prince Charming. The first few weeks were the hardest. Getting adjusted to the fact that our face to face conversations were being replaced by blurry FaceTime calls and most of my rambling texts weren't answered right away due to the six hour time difference wasn't fun.
4. Wait, you have new friends??? This was not part of the deal.
Coming to terms with the fact that my best friend was now hundreds of miles away was one thing, but coming to terms with the fact that we were now living completely separate lives and making totally different memories was another. Of course I was happy that she was out there making new friends and having the time of her life, but at the same time I couldn't help but wonder who that blonde girl in the all her Facebook pictures was and be a tad bit jealous.
5. IS IT JUNE YET?!
Three months down, seven to go, but who's counting? Just kidding, I am. I've missed my best friend greatly, but I know when she gets back we'll both have plenty crazy stories to swap. It's been interesting adjusting to having a long-distance friendship, but as that cheesy quote goes, distance makes the heart grow fonder. Mel and I have had many great times together and I know that when she comes back home we'll have even more. I'm just thankful for a friendship that can survive being thousands of miles apart.
