To my new university friends,

Thank you. I know I haven't known many of you for that long, but you have become some of the most important people of my life.

I always struggled with friends in High School. Growing up in a relatively small town, I had grown up with the same friends my entire life, and everyone knew everyone else's business. Basically, you couldn't escape your group once it was set. Although some friendships ended up being great, many became a routine of a five day a week friendship that never felt truly real.

These friendships controlled me until I met you.

Jumping from a small hometown to dorms on a large campus has blessed me with so many new and loving people. We met on the first day after spending months chatting in our dorm building group chat, discussing who was rooming with who, who enjoyed the same things, and why everyone was excited for college. From that point on, I knew I had an amazing support system that I would never want to leave.

So, thank you for being there 24/7. Thank you for loving me unconditionally, embracing the truest me, and laughing and crying with me. College is some of the most stressful times of a young persons life, but I know I don't have to experience it alone because I am with you.

Thank you for allowing me to be myself. In a time of self-discovery, I thank you, my college friends, for sharing your experiences from all over the globe, your small towns, your big cities, your everything in order to help me grow and truly find myself.

Thank you for the late night dorm room heart-to-hearts. Thank you for pulling all nighters cramming for papers, for sharing math notes, for laughing at the same political jokes. Thank you for embracing the me I was always afraid to be.

I had always thought I would have an easy time coming home, but I never realized how much I would miss when I do. Thank you for giving me a family when I'm miles away from home.

To my college friends,

You are the best. I love you.