To my college friends,

As freshman year is coming to an end, the realization that I have to leave all of my new friends is starting to hit. It’s crazy to think that a whole four months will go by before I can see some of them again. It’s also crazy to think that just a few months ago, I had never even met some of these people.

Leaving high school, I didn’t know what to expect. I had a huge group of friends who I was extremely close with and quite honestly, I didn’t know if I would be able to find people who I would connect with so well. I soon learned that I was wrong.

College is the one place where you aren’t forced to be friends with anyone. Everyone you hang out with is of your own choosing; this way, you really start to understand what kind of people you like and are most similar to you. You are able to discover a lot about yourself as you start to realize what makes a person compatible with you.

One thing I learned my freshman year is to simply spend time with people who make you happy. Especially at Michigan, there are thousands and thousands of students; so, there really is a group of people for everyone. The best thing about this is that even if you haven’t found your “people,” there are so many opportunities to meet new friends and develop new relationships. You could end up meeting your best friend and soulmate your senior year of college, only because you had never bumped into each other beforehand.

As I go back home this summer, it will be nice to be back with my home friends and the people who I have known my whole life. However, I’m already excited to come back to school again in the fall.

To my college friends, thank you for showing me the excitement of new friendships. Thank you for getting to know me for who I really am. Finally, thank you for filling my freshman year with fun and making leaving school so incredibly hard.