As the school year finally comes to a close, a bittersweet feeling creeps up on you before you know it. The end of the year means finals are done, and you're 100% ready to be home, but it also means saying goodbye, sometimes for a summer, sometimes for an indeterminate amount of time. The friends you make in college become your family away from your family, and it's a bond a lot stronger than many people realize. These are the ones who know what it's like to be up at 3:00 a.m. with so much to do that it somehow only makes sense to just go to bed. They are the people you spend the majority of your time with, and therefore know you incredibly well. Whenever I say goodbye to anyone, I try to remember and appreciate all that that person has done for me, and thank them for it. So this has become a thank you letter of sorts.
Thank you to my senior friends who have showed me what I hope to be in two years time. Thanks for supporting me, treating me as an equal, showing me that everything will turn out okay, and inspiring me with your compassionate leadership. We didn't get to spend enough time together in a stress-free setting and I will miss you endlessly next year.
Thank you to the friends who have not only seen me at my worst, but have helped me out of my most stressful situations. To those who didn't shy away from my mental breakdowns, but endured them along with me, I really couldn't have accomplished what I did without you. A support system is so important in a place away from home, and I feel really lucky with the one I developed this year.
Thank you to the friends who made me feel comfortable in my own skin, to those who encouraged me to be my weirdest self and to have confidence in my abilities. Your laughter at my horrible jokes, your acceptance of my mistakes, and your positivity have helped me shape who I am.
Thank you to the friends who have given me the most important memories of this year. Though I certainly spent countless hours in anxiety finishing papers and keeping up on readings, these are not the things I will remember in five years. I will remember the night we crammed eight of us on a bed and sang show tunes until 2:00 in the morning, the time we tried indoor kayaking (and discovered that we never want to try indoor kayaking again), and the days we spent laying outside in the quad when it was sunny, eating ice cream or Chinese food. These are the moments when I have felt most at ease and will continue to appreciate years later.
Though saying goodbye to the remarkable people I have spent time with this year is extremely difficult, I have confidence that it is not a firm goodbye. I truly believe that you make time for the people who are most important in your life, so I know I will be seeing my closest friends again no matter how many months (or continents) separate us. I wish you the best of luck and know that you will accomplish amazing things because of your kindness, intelligence, talent, and drive. Thank you for making my life so much better this year and in the years to come.
