Stranger To College Best Friend, Thank You For Everything

Just a few days ago, I packed up all of my memories from my freshman year and moved back home. The pictures I stared at day after day and the clothes stacked full inside my closet all left with me. But I knew something was missing. And I knew exactly what it was; The person I spent every waking moment with, the person in those pictures on my wall, and the person whose wardrobe became my own.

It was you--my best friend.

The people who watched us say our final goodbye in the lobby of our dorm, probably thought we were being overdramatic, but if they knew the kind of friendship we share, they would've cried too. Being your friend has taught me more than anything I learned in the 37 hours of classes I was enrolled in this year.

With you, I've learned how it feels to have a friend, and how it feels to be a friend. I know what it feels like to have someone there for me through the highs and lows, no questions asked. That's something I had never experienced before.

You see, for the first 19 years of my life, I always felt like a second option. I had the best of friends from high school -- friendships I wouldn't trade for the world -- but I always knew someone else came before me. Whether it was a boyfriend or another friend, I always knew someone else is who they'd rather be with. For the longest time, I thought that was the way friendships worked. That was until I met you.

Being friends with you has been one of the best things that have ever happened to me. You have taken me for my worst on a Tuesday when I was crying in your bed at 1 AM over a boy who didn't deserve my time, and you were there for me every Friday night at 1 AM in the peak of my craziness while we were out.

You've taken me for my most focused and stressed self, and my most carefree and exuberant self. Being your friend has taught me no matter what mood I'm in, where we are, or who else we are with, I am worthy of being the first choice.

This has made it easy for me to get close to you in such a short period of time. Never in my life have I felt so close to someone so soon. It usually takes months, if not years, to connect on a level of best friends. But for us, it took a mere three days.

From the magical moment, we became best friends, to us saying goodbye in the lobby, we've never been seen without each other. We've been attached at the hip -- literally -- and I wouldn't want it any other way.

Meeting you is one of the greatest things that's happened to me. You've made me laugh like I've never done before and enjoyed life like I never thought possible.

You came into my life when I lacked confidence and you helped me build it back up. You helped me go out my comfort zone without making me uncomfortable. I can't tell you how thankful I am to have stolen pizza from you back in October. I love you and I cherish you with my entire heart.

I can't imagine doing life without you. I couldn't do life without you. Here's to the past year of friendship and many more to come.

Love,

Your Freshman Year (and all the other years) Best Friend