As Thanksgiving approaches, there are many things that remind us of the holiday spirit like the day after Halloween and the airing of Christmas commercials, packed malls, and reruns of holiday theme romantic comedies. Other times, after sitting around a box of chicken nuggets for a post-night out McDonald’s sauce tasting with friends, we realize the real reason for the holidays and who we have in our lives that deserve to be thanked.

Thanks to my friends that often feel like family, who pick me up when I’m down and know exactly how to cheer me up. When it comes down to it, thanks for always listening to me and all my rants ranging from climate change to Grey’s Anatomy. I know I can talk to you about anything. Without even trying the look on you face when we see each other is comforting, knowing how close we are that we don’t have to worry about a thing in the world when we’re together. Whether we’re sitting in the kitchen talking over some gourmet hand-made grill cheeses, picking each other up if we need a ride, FaceTime-ing about nothing, or sending each other memes about some inside joke of ours, we can have fun and make the best out of any situation and laugh about it.

Thanks to my friends who are laid back, who convince me to go out when I should and who have this infectiously funny attitude that charms everyone they meet. Everyone loves you and this only proves to me your confidence and abilities that I know will make you successful in the future. I love you for the times you are wild and silly, and for the times where your steadiness and calmness are the only things that can solve a problematic situation as best and as quickly as possible. Thanks to my friends for having good judgment and being trustworthy because I know I could count on you for anything. Also how no matter how long we are apart we can resume everything right where we left off.

In in the future, let’s travel to the places we talked about and go on the adventures we need to go on even if it is only a few miles away or many hundreds of miles away. Let’s make every time we spend together a fun and crazy adventure where we can learn new things and make memories before life changes and time moves forward from our time of youth to our futures.

I am so thankful to all of the special friends I have in my life this year. We always push each other to be the best, most fun, outgoing, and motivated people we can be and I am thankful to have that. I am so proud to know such amazing people with incredible abilities that they have only begun to explore. I look forward to all the memories we will be able to share, but for now, Happy Thanksgiving to my friends that feel like family and the fam we make together.

Much love.