They say you become like the five people you spend the most time with, and I have yet to find a more accurate explanation for the ways that people grow and change during their first years of college. We choose our friends early on. We develop a standard for our relationships and some people just fit that standard better that others.

I expect a great deal from my friends.

I want friends who are deeply passionate. They bring light into our days and remind us how important it is to keep living fully with every second.

I want friends who crave adventure. They are the characters in the stories we will still tell when we are too old to dance and travel.

I want friends who makes me laugh uncontrollably in quiet, public places. They are the comedians that fill our hearts with positive energy and break through our darkest moments.

I want friends who will stay in my life even after they move to the farthest corners of the Earth. They are the proof that love knows no bounds.

I want friends who are childishly curious about the world. They are the students who ask questions that we didn't know we needed answers to.

I want friends who are steadfastly loyal. They are the soul mates who believe in us even when we ourselves do not.

I want friends who are strong enough to take grief from no one. They are the fighters who will help us to defeat our monsters.

I want friends who fight for what they value. They are the devoted ones who have stood up for something and will surely stand up for us.

I want friends who keep an open, nonjudgmental mind. They are the understanding ones who support us and build us up when we make mistakes instead of abandoning us when we are imperfect.

I want friends who dance when there's music. They are the ones with life in their veins who keep us on our toes.

I want friends who fall in love with obscure quotes and song lyrics. They are the emotional ones who struggle to find words strong enough for their feelings.

I want friends who are creative. They are the artists that see color in our world.

I want friends who dream impossible things. They are the thinkers who will change the world because no one was able to quiet their minds.

These are the standards that I set. They are my key to happiness and my map to all soul mates. They are my ticket to laughter and my pass to a life fully lived. To my friends who have brought light into my life, you know who you are, I am eternally grateful for your steadfast love and passionate hearts. I would wander, lost without you. I owe my personal growth to your unique wisdom and zest for life.