I've always had a best friend. I've always had someone to get ready for dances with, to stay up past 2 a.m. eating junk food with, and to call when a boy broke my heart. Some friends have come and gone; when you're in elementary school, it's difficult to find someone who you're going to get along with for the rest of your life because, well, you're 10. I didn't understand the amount of love I could have for a best friend until I met my soul sister in sixth grade. She has been my No. 1 ever since, and even after going to different colleges, we can see each other after three months, and nothing is different. I would say that she set the bar pretty high, but I don't think I ever realized how much all of my best friends meant to me until I had been away from my No. 1 and I had gained new ones, too. I don't think we take enough time to appreciate our friends. We just assume they'll always be there to help us and give us advice. But I think it's important that I, and all of us, take some time to just say thank you and love you lots to the girls (and mom) I couldn't live without.

In light of going through a rough past month of my life, I have come to realize how incredibly blessed I am to have all of y'all in my life. No matter what time of day, someone has been there to answer my calls, send me sassy photos, cheer on my victories, and to remind me that life goes on.

I can never say thank you enough for sending me pages-long pieces of advice, for letting me wake you up at 7 a.m. when I don't want to be by myself, for commenting fire emojis on all my pictures, for answering whenever I call, and for two of you, for making the time for me all the way from Colorado.

I've also come to realize that each one of you brings something different to the table, and I think that's so fantastic. We don't sit around and tell each other how much we value each other's traits (that would be a little weird anyway), but I think sometimes it's necessary. I think people have come to the assumption that there will always be someone around to be a friend, but we never take the time to talk about it.

When you are lucky enough to find girls to always have your back, keep them. If one of you called me at 2 a.m., I hope you know I would be there in a second. Friendship is more than just going out together and taking selfies. It's the little things and the un-beautiful moments that we all share that make the difference.

I have a shirt that my mom likes to make fun of; it says, "I didn't come to college to find my husband. I came to find my bridesmaids." I always thought it was kind of funny. Obviously, there is a lot more to college than friends and relationships. But at the same time, if I were to get married tomorrow, I could tell you who all of my bridesmaids would be, and I think that's something to be thankful for at age 20. (BTW, definitely not getting married tomorrow.)

Girls can be petty and dramatic. Boys can, too. I think that it's increasingly rare to find friends who don't fight with you. Friends who can call you out on your BS (and rightly so) and have intellectual conversations with you, but can also be as stupid as possible with. Those are the best kinds of people.

As if I wasn't clear enough already, I'm so thankful to have friends like y'all! If any of you have friends that are even half as great as mine, never let them go. Don't fight with them, don't take them for granted, and never fail to be there when they need you because you never know how much you're going to need their support until you do.