At one point in your life, you will come across someone who does not want to see you be successful. You will encounter a type of person who gets jealous off of your ability to succeed. And, that’s OK. Not everyone has to like you, no matter how nice you are. Unfortunately, not everyone will be happy for your accomplishments. Some people will want to turn your accomplishments into failure, and your happiness into sadness. Those people suck. Here’s the thing: you’re going to come across a lot of sucky people in your life, and sometimes you’re going to have to bite your tongue, and deal with them. But, as many sucky people as there are in the world, there are also so many positive people. Those positive people are your forever friends.

To my forever friends,

Thank you for always sticking by my side when things got rough. Whenever I needed a shoulder to cry on, or someone to scream at about something, you were there. You were there when I failed a test, you were there when I had anxiety over a presentation, and you were there when I felt like my bad day was never going to turn good. It’s hard to come across friends that don’t walk away when the shit hits the fan. I’m lucky that you stay even though I get a little crazy sometimes.

Thank you for making me laugh until my stomach hurts. Whether it’s 1 am after a shitty night at the bar, or 5:00 pm after a long day of work, you can always put a smile on my face. I believe laughter is the best form of therapy. Laughter is the best way to cleanse the soul. So, when you’re laughing with your friends, you’re really releasing all the anger and hostility you might have built up.

Thank you for sometimes being my second mom when I need it. When I misplace the textbook I need for class, you’ll find it. If I drink a little too much on a Thursday, you'll hold my hair back. If I’m too lazy to cook, you’ll cook me dinner. If I’m having a crazy panic attack, you’ll calm me down. Sometimes, we all need a “second mom” in our life, for all the times when our moms can’t be there to hug us, and tell us everything is going to be OK.

Thank you for forcing me to go out on the night’s I really did NOT want to go out. When I say I didn’t want to go out, I mean it. I would be sitting in bed, unshowered, with my pajamas on and somehow my friends would convince me it was a good idea to go out. They were right. Whenever I went out on the nights I really didn’t want to, I ended up having the best times. We all need that group of friends in life that push us to have fun when we really want to be lazy.

Most importantly, thank you for reminding me that I can do anything if I just give it my all- that if I believe I can do something, then I’m one step closer to making it happen. It’s hard to constantly remind yourself that you can chase your dreams. But, your forever friends make it easier when they’re right there by your side, cheering for you.

Always make sure to thank your forever friends. Make sure they know that all the goodness about them doesn’t go unnoticed. Your forever friends are there to lift you up when you’re feeling down, and make you laugh when you need it the most. Genuine people, like your forever friends, don’t come around that often. So make sure they know you are looking forward to the many more nights that they will be pulling you out of your bed in your pajamas.