Seven years; the amount of years I have been friends with my closest friend. Seven years, also the amount of years I have never felt alone in the world. Through every up and down I always had someone there for me, to fight for me, push me to be the best, and to believe in me when I could not even believe in myself.

Having someone with you all of the time is great, however, knowing you have someone back home who truly gets you is one of the greatest feelings in the world. Think about it; you are at school dealing with classes, work, and so many other things that go along with being on a college campus. Having a friend in your hometown is relieving due to the fact that while you are dealing with all of this you can call them in your moment of weakness, before a final, after the weird first date you went on with someone you met when you were out the weekend before. You FaceTime them and they calm you down, make you relaxed, and tell you everything will be okay. Your long distance friend becomes this escape from the real world because they know about everything going on but are not forced to deal with all of the craziness that you have while at school so they can give you a clearer mind.

We all go through that phase while being away from school when we miss our friends and family so much. However, when you do get to see your best friend you cherish the times together more. When they come to visit you at school, even priding themselves in the school colors you hate, and they participate in all of the normal day-to-day operations of your life it is something special. Knowing they are just in the other room or right next to you the whole night, that feeling, it is such a relieving feeling it’s insane. When you go home for the dreaded month long vacation in December it is nice knowing you and your friend can be bored all month watching Netflix together, instead of the normal sitting in your dorm room by yourself binge watching.

Having a long distance best friend is tiring, frustrating, and painful. At the same time though it is rewarding and totally one hundred percent worth it. It is worth all the times you miss their FaceTime calls, the amount of days you go without sending a single text due to opposite schedules, and all the tears you shed because you are not with them. Seeing them finally, hearing them laugh, and witnessing them be genuinely happy those are the things that make every day we are apart worth it.

Here is to seven years of friendship. I cannot thank you enough for all that you do for me. Thank you for proving to me what friendship is all about, and for making the only pain I feel from you from us laughing too hard.

Sincerely,

Your best friend who misses you every day