College has brought many changes to my life. New sleep schedules, study habits, diets and most importantly, friends.
Now, with the grace of technology, people are able to connect with people before they are on campus through social media groups and pages. Although many people believe that this is an odd way to make friends and everyone on there is probably a catfishing weirdo, trust me, they are wrong.
Regardless of how you meet them, college friends are so important, and here's why:
The period of time after you graduate from high school is easily one of the toughest transition periods in your life, whether you go to college or not. It is a time where you are truly free and able to spread your wings to their full extent. The question now presents itself— Are you ready to fly?
Life is hard. It's full of silent struggles and secret battles. In a new environment like college, this can be extremely dangerous to mental health. This is why finding at least one good friend to be an anchor and a sound box is extremely helpful and important.
Luckily for me, I have found a supportive group of multiple friends to support me, but some are not as lucky as I am in that regard. For those people, the most important thing to do once you reach move in day is to find yourself. Like I have said before, I believe that college is the place where your true self emerges, not the facade you have put up in your twelve years of public education.
Once you find who you truly are, you are able to attract the people who are your true friends. These people will be there to share your laughs, your worries and your tears. They'll stay up late watching your favorite movies and TV shows with you in a crowded dorm, make impromptu trips to Walmart to get things you don't need, and sit out in the nice weather, talking about what's bugging you at that point in time.
Don't get me wrong, friends from high school, especially the ones that care enough to keep in touch are very important and beneficial, but distance hinders the benefits of the friendship with those people. They aren't able to come comfort you or laugh with you at the drop of the hat, but that does not mean their friendship is worth any less.
You will find your people. You will have the countless memories and inside jokes. You'll find the people that you miss after being separated for a weekend. You will find your family, and I'm glad I found mine.
