1. You really don't have to talk to someone every day to consider them a best friend.
This was the hardest thing for me to adapt to. If I wasn't seeing someone or talking to someoneeach day, I thought they'd forget me. I thought that they people who hadn't talked to me ALL semester just didn't care about how I was doing being 6 hours away with a bunch of people I had never met before.. But, that wasn't the case.
2. People keep going on with their lives without you around, and that's okay.
This one goes hand and hand with the first one. People have their own license to live and their own business o worry about. This doesn't necessarily mean you don't cross their mind or that they don't care what's going on in your life. Besides, this makes “Reunions” a little more exciting.
3. Sadly, some people won't realize it's the first time they've seen you in a few months when you come back to visit.
What a difficult pill to swallow. You've just gotten home for the first time in 2 or 3 months and you're beyond excited. You walk up to a friend or two who you've been so excited to see. Their reaction is nonchalant. It's almost like they didn't realize you were gone or care. Don't be so sensitive. I promise they realized. Going back to number one, you don't have to eye or talk to someone every day to consider them a best friend.
4. While you don't have to speak to someone every day to remain close, some people will become distant altogether.
Let’s be realistic, to everyone cares. That's just how it is. Some of my closest friends from high school never spoke to me unless I basically forced them into it. That's okay. You're going to drift from some people. People are going to change. You're going to head down a path that some people don't understand or agree with. Some of your friends will go down a path that you do not understand or agree with either. Don’t worry about losing and keeping people. It will take care of itself, I promise.
5. You shouldn't be afraid to make new friends. You aren't replacing anyone, just expanding your world a little.
Change is good. Moving away makes you realize just how much of a bubble you've lived in. I kind of avoided people for a couple of weeks when I first moved into my dorm. I was scared my friends would be jealous or that I would forget them. Going back to number 2, people keep living their lives and so should you. Expand your world. Don't live in a bubble. There’s different people all over this earth, get to know as many as you can.
6. Sometimes, it's great to be surrounded by people who know nothing about you.
Being from a small town, everyone knows everything about you. At least they think they do. I never knew how beneficial it would be to get away from that for a little while. No one knows any of your baggage, and they get to know and like you for just being you. The greatest feeling is being surrounding by positivity with no worries of rumors and drama.
Just have fun. Don't get in the mindset of temporary. This is now a part of your journey. Love it. Make new friends. Be outgoing. Do things you never thought you would (legal of course). Be yourself and live your life. Don’t worry about losing people. Be adventurous. You're only in college once. Make some memories and lifelong friends.
