Dear friends,
I recently left the comfort of my hometown and traveled miles away to further my education. I've met a variety of unique and friendly people and have started developing a friend group here on campus within the first couple of days! Don't get me wrong, they are so much fun to play board games in the common area with (that is until we all pass out) and they never turn down any of my extravagant suggestions of venturing through this strange campus. Yet, something just doesn't feel right. The truth is, I miss you guys beyond belief. I can't help but think of how you would react at the exact moment something wild happens at a party or how the dining hall food would taste even better with us cracking jokes and playing with our food beforehand. The day I left for college, so many of my thoughts were left unspoken and too many questions remain unanswered between telephone lines counties apart. So, friends, this letter is for you.
Long-distance relationships are difficult to uphold and going from seeing you guys every day at home to now hardly seeing your faces through cellphone screens is eating me alive. I don't want to come off too strong or annoy you in any way, but there are only so many times you can text or call someone before you catch the debatable "drift" that makes both of your icebergs float away from each other, even in the most frigid snow. Friendships are a two-way street, and it is absolutely unfair that I have to put in all of the efforts just to communicate in the most basic way to my friends. I feel almost unimportant; I feel like our relationship status dropped from "best friends" to "acquaintances." Just because you don't think it's necessary to send that one snapchat that will brighten my day ten-fold or to congratulate me for one of the most memorable awards I will ever receive doesn't mean that I am any less deserving of a snapchat streak with you or deserve to be kicked out of the main group chat. Sometimes I wonder if I ever cross your minds back home, and I hope you haven't forgotten about me yet.
I am immensely grateful for all of the unforgettable times we've shared back at home. Late-night food runs to McDonalds and spontaneous trips to the airport just to watch planes take off were the highlights of my senior year, my high school career and frankly, some of the best nights of my life. Some of the darkest and most difficult times of my life were masked with uncontrollable laughter from unharmonized "Grease" karaoke sessions on long car rides and screaming at the top of our lungs with the windows rolled down. You guys provided me essentially with therapy, a kind of therapy that you can't experience at any doctor's office. You guys picked me up when I truly needed it and I am so grateful to have such caring, fun-loving people in my life.
But here I am, mile markers taunting my loneliness all the way across the state. I cherish the experiences we have shared and, trust me, no experience is ever under appreciated. Please, call me, text me, FaceTime me, even post on my Facebook wall. I miss you guys so much. I hope you miss me just the same. Although I left you guys back home, a piece of you came to college with me, packed in bubble wrap and concealed in my suitcase. Thank you guys for being true friends.
Love always,
Stacy
