Dear friends,

This is going to be a really long letter -- well, somewhat long, I think. For some of you, we don't talk that much because our lives have taken quite the detour. We've grown up, our teenage years fading away into the past, all looking onward to our new adult lives. For a few of you, I've known you since I was six-years-old. For others, only since middle school, high school or I just met you in the last couple of years or even this year. You have been the best friends a girl could ever ask for, and some, have been there to chat over a cup of coffee when our schedules don't get that busy -- and I still appreciate that so much. Close friend, best friend, practically sisters or just that friend to meet up every once in awhile -- I appreciate you all. I love you all. So now, (clears throat) let the sentimentality commence.

I was looking at all of these pictures that I have on Facebook, and of course, some of you might be familiar with the good old feeling of nostalgia while clicking through those embarrassing photos from Homecoming freshman year. I mean, we all do it from time to time. Look back at all of those memorable, somewhat sepia feel photographs that have been fortunately kept on an online scrapbook. Throughout the way, I found some silly pictures from high school that I can almost remember like it was yesterday. And I guess, that's where I would like to start off. So, bear with me as I go through super incredible bittersweet and extremely sappy couple (or a lot) of flashbacks -- and me, thanking each and every one of you for being by my side in some way or another as I embark on this crazy thing that we call life.

Being understanding.

I know I've said this so many times before, but it's important for me to say it again. Thank you for being patient with me and looking at the certain situation from my side of things. I know I am irritating at times, and in the past, I've been a difficult one to handle in some situations. I'm impatient myself, I'm irrational and neurotic at times, and I am constantly looking for that reassurance. To all of my beautiful friends who stuck by when I was being an annoying brat who didn't deserve your friendship and love -- thank you, seriously.

Being there for me during my first break-up.

You all know who you are... I've never had such wonderful friends who let me cry as much as I wanted, complain as much as I wanted about how much I hurt, and you never judged me when I wanted to go to the store and get frosting and ice cream and just cry about a dumb boy. Those first couple of days, that melted into weeks, months and then when months turned into one year since the break up -- you all were there for me in my times of pain, confusion and depression. I can honestly say that I can't recall hurting that much in my life. Thank you for taking my side, even though you didn't have to -- but you did anyway because you saw how much he hurt me and you were all my best friends. You saw how much he destroyed me, and with that, you automatically didn't like him anymore. You all didn't have to do that, but you did. You even let me act immature for awhile -- a lot, because I was so upset. I love you so much for being there for me when I experienced that great pain.

Excepting my weirdness and my odd style.

When I was a freshman in high school, I was experimenting with "different looks" -- and some of those varied from the sideways '80s-esque ponytail, wearing T-shirts under spaghetti strap dresses, colorful leggings from rue21, bright blue eye shadow (I know, bad move) and of course, curling my hair or wearing dresses with heels to school every other day. Some people didn't like the way I dressed or didn't want to be seen with me. But fortunately enough, I was grateful to have friends who loved me for who I was -- despite what I wore or how I wanted to express myself. For some of you, you encouraged me to keep being me and to wear whatever I wanted. When all of those people would roll their eyes when I walked down the hallway, you told me to never change and to fully embrace myself. Thank you for reminding me to never cease to be me because without that, I probably would have.

For accepting my Michael Cera obsession.

For my friends who know me well, you all knew that this one was coming. The "Michael Cera Obsession" began around 2010, to be exact. I think I was a freshman in high school and I would repeatedly watch the movie "Juno" like it was nobody's business. I would gush over how attractive and adorable he was, while everyone else would seemingly talk about Ryan Gosling or Justin Timberlake. But nah, there I was, freaking out over a zip-up sweater wearing boy who knew how to strum a guitar and give off an awkward but endearing facade. I know for a fact I was more obnoxiously annoying about my celebrity crush than I am today -- so bless your souls for putting up with that.

For being blunt with me.

For keeping in contact.

I know some of us have drifted apart. It's not as if we're still in middle school or high school. We've changed, matured, truly found ourselves and branched off to different places in life. And you know what? That's completely normal. But there are those friends that have stuck by me through it all, even if we're not 100 percent close, not like we used to be. In a way, I'm kind of really okay with that, because it's the thought that counts. It's knowing that one person is still important enough to just say a friendly, "Hi," or, "We should catch," up over Facebook. Life gets busy, but what matters the most is through all of that chaos, there is still that little reminder that you're still there. No, it means the world to me.

For being as nostalgic as I am.

You kinda just let me do my thing -- which includes me being a sap every other second of my life. So again, thanks for putting up with my "Polaroid moments." It means a lot because these memories, those times, everything, just means a lot. And when you get as corny as I do, it makes those moments so much better. For letting me be myself, which is cheesy and sentimental a lot of the time, you are officially amazing and cool and all of the above. Bless your heart!

For supporting me and believing in me.

For worrying about me.

Minor or major situation, you would check in on me to make sure I was doing okay when I didn't even know what I was feeling, and you just knew that something was wrong. I love you.

For helping me figure out who I am.

High school is that crucial time period in a person's life where they want to figure out who they are, what they want to be and what they want to do forever. I built my personality up the most around high school, made decisions and dealt with situations that made me who I am today. However, I wouldn't have done it without my friends by my side. Whether we aren't as close as we were in high school, you still helped shaped me into the person I am right now, by making choices back in high school. I surrounded myself with the people who I thought were a positive and good influence on me -- people who made me feel good about myself, who made me respect myself because I knew that they respected me. You all made me feel important, and you showed your appreciate and support for me unconditionally. That, that I love the most.

For giving me the best advice.

Enough said.

For reminding me how important I am when I'm depressed.

This one kind of goes without saying. Thank you for being there in my dark moments where I couldn't figure anything out, and everything just seemed so bleak and uncertain.

For making incredible memories with me.

Thank you for giving me pictures to look back at when I'm feeling sappy! But for real, all of those summer days back when we were 15, 16 and 17, wandering around our small town with our cherry flavored slushies and quarters snacks at the gas station, Taco Bell stops, long conversations in the car, random cruises to nowhere with the music blasting, going to the beach, getting ready together for all of those high school dances, going on family camping trips, sitting in your room until three in the morning watching stupid movies and eating ice cream, and talking about romance and how I was still in love with him. Everything. I cherish all of those moments and I wouldn't replace them for anything.

For helping make me be stronger.

"You're kick ass."

"You're beautiful."

"You are strong."

"You don't need him."

"You're better off."

"You got this."

For helping me make the best decisions.

Thank you a million times over! Your help was much appreciated and you have helped me make huge decisions.

For going to concerts with me that were great.

So. Many. Memories.

I just wanted to say that I appreciate every single one of you. Like I said, life gets crazy busy and we don't always have time to stop and remember why we are the way that we are. For me, it has a lot to do with the people that have come and gone throughout my life -- specifically my teenage years and on. Whether you believe it or not, minor or not so much, you've all made some sort of impact in my world, and I wouldn't be the person I am today if you all didn't play some part of role in my life. So we might grow up, go through difficult and stressful adult stuff, meet new people, fall in love, get married, get that dream career, leave our small hometowns and forget about everything...but this is me saying that I won't forget you. You're all incredible, and I'm glad that you have been apart of my life.

I love you.

Sincerely,

Julia