A Letter To The Girls I Met In My First Year At College

Hey ladies,

I just wanted to say thank you.

Thank you for opening your hearts and your arms for me and the mess that I am. You've held me while I cried and lifted me when I fell. You've supported me and all my decisions: the good, the bad, and the ugly. I can't imagine going through the nights I did without you by my side. You helped me walk when I didn't even want to stand. You made me laugh when I didn't even want to smile.

Thank you for pushing me to be a better person. In the past ten months alone, I've learned more about women supporting women. I've learned more about keeping an open mind. I've learned more about making the world a better place. Because of you, I'm a better woman than when I moved onto this beautiful campus.

Thank you for loving me endlessly. There are days when I didn't feel I had the right to love myself, but time and time again, you were there to show me every reason I deserved love. The love you have shown me has made me more confident, more bold and more loving in return.

Thank you for holding me accountable. Most people, when asked, would say loyalty is the best trait to have in a friendship. I disagree. I don't want you to be blindly supportive and loyal; I would rather you hold my actions and my words accountable. And that's exactly what you've done. Every meeting I didn't want to go to, every assignment I didn't want to finish, every text I knew I shouldn't send, you made sure I knew the consequences of my actions (or lack thereof).

Thank you for the memories. I can't remember the last time (before this year) I had a sleepover. Or a girls night. Staying up until 3 AM, crying because we're laughing so hard. Windows down, music blasting car rides. Picnics, sun bathing, dining hall laughs. We experienced it all together. It's insane how much you all mean to me.

Thank you for being the people I didn't know I needed EXACTLY when I needed you. Words can never express how much I needed you at this point in my life. You made me love myself again. You've given me the best memories in such a short amount of time. You've given me the love and support of a lifetime. I had no expectations for relationships in college, and you blew it out of the water.

I love you so, so much.