One day we're 10 with the whole world front of us and the next we're 20, a few years away from the beginning of the rest of our lives. It's startling to even imagine that time has gone by so fast, but I'm so glad I got to spend it with all of you.

When you become best friends with somebody from home, there's so much you get to experience with them: the transition from elementary school to middle school to high school, all the awkward phases, first relationships, the drama, and the overwhelming college decisions. You know them almost as well as you know yourself.

And here we are today, in college and I'm still just as excited to experience life with you. There were people who would tell us that when we went to college we'd forget about our hometown friends and would make even better, lifelong friends in college. There's a time and a place for college friends in some people's lives, but we're a tight knit group and through the time we've been in college, we've done just fine with each other.

I'm so thankful for your friendships. I get so excited when I get texts throughout the week when you guys tell me how excited you are to see me this weekend when I come home. They make all the stress from school just melt away. I have something to look forward too, my friends to look forward to. Sometimes we don'tsee each other for a month, even longer, and can fall right back into step when we finally do see each other again. It's like no time has passed at all.

I love seeing you on weekends, breaks, and those precious months of summer. We can drive around town with no plans and argue until we finally decide on something to do, which we do often. We can talk and laugh about the best memories we've had so many years ago and look forward to the ones we're going to make. And yes, I am home much more than other college students, but I still look forward to seeing all of you after a week away at school.

To my hometown friends, I wouldn't trade the years and countless memories for the world. We're on the cusp of a whole new life: adulthood. It's a great unknown and I know we still don't feel like adults yet, but I'm ready to take on life with you. We lead different lives when we're away from each other, but time can't stop and life has to go on. We'll always have each other's backs.

To the future us, we got this. I'm looking forward to the future and a lifetime of memories ahead. Distance and time has no measure on friendship and the love I have for my hometown friends. Keep me in your heart and mind wherever you go and I'll do the same.

We'll always find our way back home and to each other.