First, let me start by saying I love you and miss you terribly.

Parting with you was one of the most difficult parts of college, but being away from you has made me realize that you are a true friend to me even in absence, not just because I saw you every day in high school. From over a thousand miles and several states away, we have managed to stay as close as we always were.

I want to thank you for always being there while at home and while away, and showing me what real friendship is.

I know that while being away, there has been some things that have changed between us. It was a hard adjustment from living at home to living away at college on my own. I couldn’t just get up, grab my keys and pick you up for lunch anymore. I couldn’t drive over to your house when I was bored and didn’t feel like being alone. I was no longer texting you the night before school what you were wearing, or if you did the project for class that I have no idea what to do for. I know for the first week or so that I was here, things were really different and it was hard for me to keep in contact with you as well as I did when I was home. It wasn’t because I didn’t want to talk to you, I was just overwhelmed with all the adjustments I had to make and dealing with how different college really is.

I want you to know that I’m sorry for not being able to tell you everything that has gone in my life since I have been gone. It’s not because I’ve made new friends and ditched you, it is just hard to fill you all in on what has gone on in my life when you aren’t actually here and I have to say all of it over text or phone call, when it is much easier to do in person. Because of this, I have the tendency to tell my roommates and friends here, only because they are so close to me. It is not because I don’t trust you or don’t want you to know what I have been up to, it’s just hard to keep track of it all.

That being said, I want to thank you for still being here through all of it. Adjusting to college and the curveballs life has thrown at me, you were there for all of it. No matter what the situation, I knew you were always a text/call/FaceTime away. You didn’t forget how to make me feel better, make me smile, or boost my confidence. And no matter how many times I texted you about the same thing, you never got sick of it. You never lashed out on me for venting to you about what seems to be the same thing over and over. You don’t make me feel stupid for any mistakes I have made or for any little thing I burden with.

I want you to know how extremely grateful for that, because you were always my support system.

Being with you always made me feel better and happier, and that was something I never wanted to disappear. And with that being said, I hope you never forget that I will always be here to do the same. I may have a lot going on, but I never want to forget what is going on in the lives of my best friends or in the town I grew up in. I want to know every detail of your life, whether it be about you, your family or that boy you like (oh and especially your dogs). I want to hear about all of it.

Yes, I have made new friends. These people have grown to be my family away from my family, and there to pick me up when you weren’t here. They may be my best friends here, but I never want you to feel like you have been replaced. All of you hold an equal special place in my heart, just in different ways. None of you can be replaced, and don’t think I don’t mention all of you at least a couple of times a week. There will always be that memory that something reminded me of about my friends at home, and there’s nothing better than hearing “I need to meet this girl,” because I want everyone to love you guys as much as I do!

I can’t wait until we reunite again. Some of you I have not seen for months and you don’t know how much I can’t wait to be home and squeeze all of you. I can’t wait to go eat at our favorite food places and sit and have pointless conversations in the car together. I can’t wait to be back and be familiarized with what home is with all of you and catch up on anything we missed out on, I don’t care if it takes hours.

I miss you guys terribly, and being away from you has just made me realize how true of friends all of you really are!