Everyone has a best friend. Unless you're like me, then you have 3 amazing ones. Best friends are such a crucial part of everyone's lives, they're there when you need a shoulder to cry on, they're there when you need someone to tell you that you're being straight up crazy, and they're even there when you just want to have a night in watching movies and binge eat ice cream. Towards the end of my senior year is when I really found my best friends. All 3 are such outgoing, whole-hearted people and I am so happy that they ended up in my life and as cliché as it sounds, I really don't know what I would do without them. For they have not only made my life more interesting and fun, but they've helped me shape into a person that I am proud to be. 4 ways that my best friends have impacted my life are:

1. They gave me the best summer of my life. Whether it be the middle of the day going out to Eno, 2 am trips to waffle house (which we had a lot of), camping out, or going to see movies intended for 15 year-olds at the movies (shoutout to The Secret Life of Pets), they gave me the best summer filled with the most memorable nights. We spent every day together and each one was filled with something new & exciting, and something new to laugh about.

2. They made me realize that it is okay to be yourself. I've never been one to be shy or scared of meeting new people, but I've always been one to be afraid of judgement. "Am I good enough?", "They probably think I'm annoying". But they never said any of those things. They taught me that being yourself and being original IS okay. They accepted me for who I was, and made me feel so welcome every time we hung out. This is one of the things that I admire about each of them, they are totally non-judgmental and plus, they’re just as weird as I am so it works!

3. They helped me become more in touch with my Faith. Don’t get me wrong, I've always believed in God. Though the thing was,I never devoted much time to Him or church. I would go to church on days when it was convenient for me, and that was pretty much that. Though over the summer, we would all go to church together once a week, and that really helped me become more in touch with God and I finally saw the ways that he has already worked in my life, ways that I never really noticed before. We each looked forward to going and listening to our favorite pastor speak every week.

4. Last but not least, they showed me what it means to be genuinely happy. Life can be hard sometimes and everyone has stuff they're working to get through but good friends are the ones that don’t help you forget about it, they help you to persevere and push through it. My friends have definitely helped me find a happy place and I am so thankful for that.

A little P.S. to the girls this is about: I just want to say thank you all so much for being the incredible, well-rounded, and down to earth people that you all are. You've helped me immensely, and even though we're all separated right now, you all are and will forever be my best friends and my family. I love you all dearly.

• Sincerely, Your LovingBest Friend.