Growing up I heard so many speakers talk about the importance of having friends who support and inspire you. For a long time I didn't fully grasp what that meant to be inspired by my friends. But I've recently realized that I just wasn't hanging around with the right people.
One amazing thing about college is your friend group is solidified and narrowed down to only those who you put effort into. My best friend goes to school in Michigan, so putting in effort to see each other over breaks and still keeping each other up to date with our lives is crucial to staying close. Even if your best friend lives down the hall, it's easy to lock yourself in your room during finals week and study until your eyes start to cross, but don't. Trust me on this one. When you're delirious and want to just drop the class to avoid the exam, having your friend there to encourage you to push through is everything. And little loving things I thought were weird in high school are what make my day in college. Waking up to a random text from one of my friends or running into class a couple minutes late to find a coffee waiting for me can make my week. So put in the effort to those you love and want to keep in your life, I promise they'll stick around.
Another thing I realized is how important it is to have friends with similar goals and values. My eyes were opened to this when I found friends who are as driven as I am. For me, this means that my friends and I spend most week nights studying because we're all incredibly driven to do well in school. So they know what it's like to finish a paper at 11:30 p.m. after working on it since dinner and will celebrate with me in the library lobby. This also means that they are hard workers like I am; we know what we want and what we need to do to get it. Having this similar mindset helps us all understand each other better because our priorities are the same. It was also amazing for me to be able to surround myself with friends who share my Christian values and beliefs. Seeing all the amazing ways they live out their faith in everyday life inspires me to be bold and do the same.
All in all, I've finally come to realize what makes an inspiring friend. A friend who encourages and loves you through your roughest moments (i.e. finals week), but also knows when to let loose and have fun when you need it (i.e. girls night after a long week of school). They also live out of their values and disciplines, and hopefully share the same values you do. Surrounding yourself with people who are driven, confident in themselves and strong in what they believe will change how you live your life, and how you look at the lives of those around you. Being around such amazing people will influence you to be just as incredible.
