"Katie, are you okay?"

Dear Tammy,

Every day I am so very thankful to be not only your best friend, but also your roommate. There are so many reasons why this is. I'm sure I'll miss a few in this open letter, so please forgive me in advance.

For the time you hugged me and let me cry on you a little when my boyfriend chose to help me end a long day by dumping me. Then you proceeded to make sure I was okay for the rest of the night, when that was one of the roughest nights of my life. The next day, you made sure I woke up on time for class. I cried all through class the next day and told you I was having a rough day in a text and you were sympathetic, even though at this point, I really just needed to calm down and move on. We will never forget that first week of junior year.

For the times that you listened to my uber-feminist rants about how I'm going to be single forever because men are dumb and didn't tell me I was a nutcase. For the times I try to hook my own dress, twisting myself into a pretzel, and you just come over and hook it with no problem every time. For the times you ask me if I need help, already knowing I won't ask for help if I need it because I'm so independent.

For the times I come home from working at the newspaper and you listen to me recount my day at the office. You understand my workplace situation better than anyone in my life. You legitimately listen (and have listened) to my newspaper woes for many years now. For all the quotes you've given me for articles over the years, from Provoc to Odyssey and to anywhere else I've ever written for and needed quotes.

For all of the things we have survived together collectively, with laughter to help get us through the tears... wow. I love how our shared bedroom at college is full of stuffed cows on your side and stuffed unicorns on mine.

I love how we decided to be roommates, and when you asked me to be your roommate, it was one of those "YAY, SHE PICKED ME" moments in my life. We didn't end up as roommates by accident or because we didn't have anyone else. We're roommates because last year you spent so much time in my single dorm room that it only made sense for us to live together so that we didn't have to hike across campus to see each other (because that is literally the worst thing ever).

Furthermore, as roommates, our friendship has only become stronger. We are now the kind of friends who can get each other through anything. We fight sometimes and do stupid things to annoy each other (Yup. I ripped the cookie box ON PURPOSE).

I used to worry that maybe we'd have a big fight and wouldn't be friends anymore, because I've met some people in my time at Assumption who weren't 'real' friends. But now I'm certain that we will always get over it when we're upset with one another.

When you talk to your family on the phone, I somehow always end up joining in the conversation. Luckily, they don't care. When we do homework, we have to do it in separate rooms (you in the bedroom and me in the living room) because otherwise, we will get nothing accomplished because we love hanging out.

I love our impromptu trips to the grocery store together. We drink Lactaid so that you can drink milk that won't make you sick, and I have found that I like lots of non-dairy things that I'd never have tried if I didn't live with someone who can't eat milk products. If milk products make you sick, I'll gladly give that up. Milk with lactose has nothin' on you.

For the awesome 21st birthday that you had for me on my actual birthday, just to be a good friend. It was so much fun...there was a light up gift bag. It was my kind of shenanigans, all-around. You put so much time into making it perfect for me, to the point where other people didn't understand.

I love you Tam, the forever kind of way. Thanks for always being close-by when I need a friend, or really when I need anything at all.

XO, Katie.