The first semester of college was the most stressful, yet most rewarding, experience of my life thus far. I competed as a varsity athlete, joined clubs that I never imagined joining in high school, survived Accounting, and made friendships that will undoubtedly last a lifetime. With that being said, it is also important to remember the friends that made it through your Aeropostale and braces stage: your hometown friends. People will move away, make new friends, but nothing will take away the memories you made with them throughout elementary school, middle school, and high school. Most importantly, you know you couldn't survive without the friends you made during first semester or the friends you'll always meet up with back home.
Your college friends are there for you every day. They listen to you rant about your boring professors, cry about your seemingly impossible assignments, and even laugh with you as you tell embarrassing stories sitting on your bed in your dorm. Even though you just met them a few months ago, you feel like you've known them your whole life. It was fate that you met on Facebook, at practice, or in the crowds of people at school. Your college friends are always around to take a spontaneous trip to the mall, out to a party, or even to Walmart. No matter what you do, or where you go, you always make an adventure out of it. A day- even a few hours- without talking with them, updating them on your classes, meals, and every little thing in between feels strange. They are your rock, your therapists, and your partners in crime.
On the other hand, your life wouldn't be the same without your friends from home. They are there for you during the month of returning to your hometown, filling the days and nights with even more memories. Your friends from home stuck by your side when you entered different phases, including the "purple eyeliner and graphic tee" phase of middle school (they probably shared equally embarrassing preteen, middle school phases as well). No matter what, they stood by you. Even though you have all moved on to different colleges, in states across the country, it always brightens your week to catch up on your crazy (and embarrassing) stories from school. They experienced prom, graduation, and every and all high school experience in between, which can never be taken away. As much as we don't want to admit it, the inevitable happens: people move on and make new friends. However, there will always be a special place in your life for your friends from your hometown, and the bonds and memories created are unforgettable.
Now, as second semester begins, your friendships with your college friends will continue to grow as you survive round two of college together. Your friends, at their own colleges, miles away, will be waiting to catch up on what happens. No matter how different, your college friends and hometown friends keep you afloat among piles of papers and assignments that come with second semester.
