The first semester of my freshman year, I met my best friend. My junior year I was lucky enough to be her roommate. Everyone told us it would be the ultimate test, something really bad could happen and they were right, it could have happened.
Now as a senior, I can easily say that living with my best friend was one of the best experiences of my college career. She has made me a better person and continues to inspire me every day. The best kind of friends are those that you can be yourself with and at the same time, you grow into a better person because of them.
Even though we are no longer roommates and I don't hear her words of wisdom at 2 A.M. every night, I can share with you some of the best advice I will never forget.
1. Never leave the house with wet hair. Growing up, I never owned a hair dryer. I always let my hair airdry and at desperate times I would run out the door with wet hair. Now, I am the proud owner of my own Revlon hair dryer and I use it every day. As busy college students, we can’t afford to get sick, and how embarrassing if it’s our own fault for having wet hair on a cold and windy Blacksburg day.
2. Always make your bed. Just like our parents told us growing up, don't forget to make your bed. Your room may be a mess, your life may be hanging on by a thread, you may have 101 things to get done before the day ends, but before you leave your room make your bed. Coming home to a nicely made bed at the end of the day makes all the difference. And it will probably help you keep the rest of your room pretty clean too.
3. When in doubt, take a nap. If you’re in a bad mood or just don’t have enough motivation for the rest of your day, take a nap. A nap helps to put your day, or sometimes even life, in perspective.
4. Anything is possible with caffeine. You can achieve anything you set your mind to with a little help from a friend in the form of caffeine. Pick your poison, whether it’s coffee, soda, or energy drinks. Caffeine will be necessary to get by in college.
5. Accessorize. Every outfit looks better with accessories. If your ears are pierced, take the time to put in earrings. If you have a watch, put it on. Even one bracelet or bangle helps any outfit. People will notice that you put in the extra effort and accessories are just another way we can express ourselves.
6. Embrace distractions.The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time. Live in the moment and embrace life as it happens. Don’t regret the past. Instead, remind yourself that at one point it was what you wanted.
7. Don’t settle.Don’t let yourself feel selfish for having high standards or having certain dreams. Don’t settle for anything less than what you have always envisioned for yourself for the sake of others that stand in the way of your dreams.
8. And most importantly: Never, never, never give up. If you have your heart set on something, don’t make excuses and never give up. Life is not always easy and we are often reminded of this as young adults trying to find our way in the world. But never give up. Hard work pays off in the end and nothing feels better than knowing we earned our own achievements.
So here's to the best friends we don't know what we would do without, and the best advice in the memories we will always keep close to our hearts.
