Growing up, I would hear my parents reminisce their college days saying it was some of the best years of their lives. I knew it to be true because of the great friends they made in college. Luckily, they had such strong friendships that I was able to grow up with their families as well. We have spent countless hours together on vacation, at each other’s family parties, and simply catching up. Without a doubt, my favorite childhood memories come from the times all of us were together. Not only are they fun to be with, but I think of my parents' friends as role models. All of their characters have shaped me into who I am because I aspire to be like them. The relationships we have with each other mean so much more to me than a friendship. They are my family.
With these people having such a great impact on my life, I was a bit nervous going into college. Would I find friends that loyal, kind, and caring? Would they be in my life after school? Most importantly, would I find my “family?” During my freshman year, I put pressure on myself to find these people. Now, I can gratefully say that I have found them.
When you’re in college, you are away from your actual family for months at a time, so you need a support system there with you. You go through happy times and tough times and stressful situations. You are trying to figure out who you are as a person and what you want to do with your life. So, naturally, the people you surround yourself with are going to be on that journey with you. You will cry together and laugh together, open up and learn about each other, and support each other through all things. They will become your family.
The people I consider as part of my “family” are the ones where our friendship happened effortlessly. Once I stopped pressuring myself to find the right people, they showed up in my life. In just two years, my “family” has influenced and shaped me into who I am now. I don’t know what I would do without them.
I’m fortunate to have grown up with my parents' friends from college and their families because it showed me what true friendship is. The fact that I was worried I wouldn’t find friends like them shows how much they have impacted my life. I’m also fortunate to say I have found my own college “family.” They have changed my life in ways I would never expect, supported me, and loved me. I know that they will be in my life after college the way my parents' friends have been. I can’t begin to express how grateful I am for that.
I promise this article has a point to it, and it’s not just me telling a personal account. Make sure you surround yourself with the right people, the people that will always be there for you. Make memories with them so you can reminisce on the glory days and laugh just as hard every time you tell the story. The friends you make in college will see you through the most transformative four years of your life. They will hold a special place in your heart, so keep them in your life and form a family. It not only will impact your life but maybe your future kids, just like it did for me.
