In high school, I saw my best friend every day- from hugs in the morning to winking at her in the hallway when I saw her hug her crush. Every single detail of the school day was filled in before we even left the school and if those details happened to be negative, then you could bet that we were hanging out later. No matter what, they were only five minutes away.

But as high school came to an end, we watched as our names flashed across the screen at graduation. Me- University of Cincinnati, Nursing. Them- *Insert "Different University, Different Major" here* At the time, you have to be excited because you have so much to look forward to. College is like a breath of fresh air, and besides, you're best friends! You will Skype as much as possible and text all day long, and we'll visit each other every chance we get.

Unfortunately, college is never what anyone expects. We like to live in a fantasy where college is freeing and gives people a fresh start, where nobody knows your name and you can be independent and make your own rules. But here's the real deal: college isn't a walk in the park. Classes might be fewer and far between compared to high school, but they are longer and there is twice as much homework, three times as much studying, and four times as much stress. College is staying up all night to do homework, waking up early to go to class, taking a nap because you're exhausted, being behind on homework due to your nap, and then staying up all night to do homework. It is honestly a never-ending, and social life-destroying cycle.

With that being said, when I came to college, I talked to her all the time. I told her about how I met my first friends here, how Welcome Weekend was overwhelming, and how my one professor is going to be real JOY to have teach me science. The stories we told each other were exciting and new, but as the semester went on and the assignments got more in depth and exams got more difficult, our talks became shorter, and farther apart.

This is when I realized how much I had taken the time we spent together for granted. In college, I made plenty of friends through several organizations. But none of them could replace the numerous years of random ice cream socials or long car rides where we just drove around and talked because we needed the pick me up. Without her here, I didn't have someone to wipe my streaming mascara off of my face when I got my heart broken. I didn't have someone to celebrate my birthday with, at least not on my actual birthday. I didn't have someone to hug in the morning or bring me coffee before school. I did everything, on my own.

Now, I will be the first to tell you that this is awful. Not having her around was one of my biggest transitions in college. There is just something different between seeing them in person, and seeing them on Skype, or Facetime. But, that first time that you do see them after months of being apart, is a feeling that can never be recreated. That first hug is tighter than any other. You spend the entire time talking about boys, friends, school, and even how glad you are to be home. It is as if nothing has changed since senior year of high school.

College is hard without your best friend by your side. But no matter what, no matter how far away she may be, we will always be inseparable.