I know that in my case, I had one best friend in particular that stuck with me through it all. We became friends within the first week of school, and we continue to be friends five years later. Many people say that you won’t keep the same friends from high school … I guess it’s just in my nature to prove people wrong.

Dear Best Friend:

507 days. 507 days since high school graduation. Even longer since we walked the halls of the academy together. 406 days since we moved to college. Over a year, and so much has changed. One could possibly argue that we’re completely different people, but I know that our friendship is still the same beautiful one that was created on Aug. 18, 2010. If you asked me to put into words what you mean to me and what you have done for me, this article would never end; I’ll just sum it up with the two words I see most fitting: thank you.

Thank you for being there for me through everything—through the ups and the downs, the ins and the outs. Thank you for all of those late-night skype dates (even when we had a test the next morning), all of those times bonding over Grey’s Anatomy and Patrick Dempsey, all of those seemingly endless PhotoBooth sessions, and especially for all of the nights sitting and doing absolutely nothing. Most importantly, thank you for being my best friend. You got me through high school, and you’re one of the biggest reasons why I am who I am today. You are the reason I live every day with fearlessness, and we both know that doing so is not an easy task. I love you more than I could ever put into words. You’re my person for more reasons than I could count; you will always be my person.

You inspire me to be a better person every. single. day. I don't think you could ever understand how you make me want to be better; I not-so-secretly just want to be you. The only problem with me being you is that I wouldn't have you as a friend because there is no other like you. But I also just want to be by your side … even when you become the president of the United States (seriously, how do you do it all?). I will always be here for you even if I can’t physically be with you. I would move mountains for you because I know you would do the same for me.

I’m sorry for all of my complaining, my venting, my crying and every other weird, stupid or annoying thing I’ve done (I know there are too many to count). I’m sorry for any time I have ever hurt you because you did not deserve any of it. But I also have to thank you for putting up with all of my shit because we both know there’s been a lot of it. And thank you for still being there even when you had every reason not to be.

As much as it hurts to be 1026 miles away from you, you’re still so close to my heart (not only because I see your face on my phone background every day). No distance could ever break the [strange, quirky, bizarre] bond we share. While we both have changed since high school graduation, our friendship has not. I sincerely miss you more than I could ever express. I miss all of the days walking to class together, finishing homework early in the morning, sitting in the parking lot for hours after school, and going Panera way too many times to be healthy. Saying goodbye this second year was even harder than the first (partly because you left the first time without telling me … I digress). Mostly, I just miss being able to drive 15 minutes to come sit at your house and watch netflix, eat your food, or “help” you clean your room. After basically living at your house this summer, it’s even weirder and harder to be away from you. BUT I do know that our reunion is going to be perfect as always (even more perfect than our reunion last Christmas break when we ran to each other in the airport). Just know that I’ll be there again this year, possibly with a sign and maybe even some sweet potato fries just for you.

Love,

Lizzebra