Every freshman remembers stepping onto campus for the first time, taking a deep breath, and soaking in their new home. The beauty of college is being given a clean slate and a new beginning. With that new beginning, though, comes the loss of comfort and familiarity. Not having family around or childhood best friends can make for a difficult adjustment, but, before you know it, you will have a college family of your own.
The friends you make in college quickly become people you feel as though you have known your entire life. You could have met them: in a dining hall, in your dorm, or through a club or other extracurricular activities just a few months ago. But, having their support whilesurviving college makes you feel like you've known them since birth. College friends become people that you rely on during good days and bad. The reason of this fast comradery is very simple…college life can hit you like a train, and you will need people to fall back on for more than the following.
If you didn’t do well on an exam- you have your college friends.
If your professor is being uncooperative -you have your college friends.
When you have -$1.57 to your name but really want a milkshake- you have your college friends...and Venmo.
If you feel like making a questionable decision and need a reassurance (or a veto)- you have your college friends.
If you need a ride to the doctor, confirmation of ordering late night pizza, or to just get out after a long day- you have your college friends.
These friends encourage and support you on all accounts and, after a little time, they become like family.
How college friends go from acquaintances to practically family occurs differently for everyone, but, what matters, is that now these incredible people are a part of your life. If you’re like me, then you probably catch yourself, several times, questioning how you were able to go through life thus far without your fabulous family. The answer to that is that your college family wasn’t brought into your life earlier because you didn’t need them yet. One of my favorite quotes happens to be an anonymous one that I feel so comforted by, “Life doesn’t give you the people you want, it gives you the people you need, to love you, to hurt you, to make you into the person you’re supposed to be.” Embrace and appreciate your wonderfully dysfunctional college family. You wouldn't have gotten this far without them.
