Classes are winding down, finals are on the horizon, and our first semester at college is coming to an end. Looking back at everything that's happened this year, it's a bit sad to realize that it's going to be over soon. Don't get me wrong, there are at least three more years of this for me, but I know that the upcoming years won't be quite the same. A lot of things happen during your freshman year of college, and the friends I've made during this first year away at school have been critical in my survival.
I didn't think that I would be able to make many friends when I decided to go to a school where I didn't know anyone. I'm a very introverted person, so I think I seem kind of distant and uninterested. It makes the whole situation seem that much more incredible because the people I've grown closest to are all very much extroverts. They are very social people, but they somehow understand my introverted tendencies enough to bridge the gap in our personalities. They bring me out of my shell but don't push me past my limits. We have learned so much about each other in such a short amount of time, and it's crazy to think that I didn't even know them a year ago.
One of these friends deserves some extra special recognition. I've heard horror stories about freshman roommates-- getting placed in a tiny dorm room with someone you hate or hates you. I am very fortunate, my roommate and I get along great. We share so many interests and have so much fun with each other that I can't imagine sharing a room with anyone else. When others in our dorm building were applying for room changes at the beginning of our first semester, we were watching movies and laughing so hard we cried. Just the other night we stayed up until one in the morning watching Disney movies. We've made our little space a home away from home. She's my teammate, my sounding board, and my best friend.
Living eight hours away from your family isn't easy. It's exciting going to a new place and meeting new faces but sometimes the only people you want to see are the only ones you aren't able to. When I was separated from my mom's hugs, my friends were the ones who were there for me. Sure, I can text and call and video chat, but nothing is quite the same as receiving a tangible hug from someone who cares about you.
My friends provided me with that comfort; we are each other's therapists and support systems. They were the first people I relied on here at school, and no matter what happens they will always have a special place in my heart. These people are my family and I know that things change-- I'm not naive enough to think that they won't, but I'm hopeful enough to want these friends who I've become so incredibly close with to remain in my life indefinitely. I've laughed with them, cried with them, laid out my deepest darkest secrets to them. My freshman friends have supported me in the low spots and flown with me during the highlights this year, and I'm so glad I got to share everything with them.
