We get it, you are really busy and are so stressed and would rather be doing work.

Same here.

But guess what? I'm here listening to you rant instead.

The reality of college (especially since I'm not a freshman anymore!) is that you are busy. There should be a more stressed word that emphasizes your busy-ness because that's how busy you are.

Swamped. That's the word.

You are swamped and are taking so much on your plate that it is a wobbly tower that you must stare at continuously so it doesn't come all crashing down because otherwise, you will be swamped-er. More swamped.

Trust me, so am I.

Coming to sophomore year, there is this pressure - not that it wasn't present freshman year, but it has just increased - to be doing things, to know what you want with your life, and to actively go out and pursue it.

From campus organizations to fraternities to internships to volunteering and of course, on top of all this, extra hard classes, a sophomore (I still can't believe that I am one) has to juggle all and be good at it.

Your friends may be trying out new things that take a significant amount of their time and now, instead of meeting every day for lunch/dinner, you have to find time to actually enjoy their existence because they aren't available anymore.

And yes, that sucks.

It is so frustrating and surreal to go from meeting literally every day to meeting twice a week if you are lucky but these changes are good and in the long run, they will lead you both to the paths that you want to succeed in.

Your friends may have people in their classes that they meet more frequently because that class is hard (and we all need study groups) and it is hard to give them that space and that freedom to evolve.

Similarly, you may not have the time to meet them because you have gone crazy and joined two new clubs that take so much of your time and you are taking upper division classes that have thesis papers (basically, it is not going well) and meeting your friends is hard because your schedule doesn't have any white spaces left.

It's completely normal to go through this transition. College is all about thriving and being your best self and sometimes, that best self is being busy 24/7 and that's good too.

However, it is important to keep your roots intact, keep watering those friendships because even though you both may not meet as often, every time you meet, it is like nothing has changed.

Unfortunately, life does get in the way of friendships but only if you let it. I too wish I could go and sit in my friend's room for hours on end but I have 3 more meetings today, this article to submit, and a midterm and a paper to prepare for, so I'll be hustling by myself for the rest of the day. I will still go and have dinner with them though because as much as I have to do, they would make time for me too and isn't that what makes it more special? A group of people having the busiest lives but still converging to meet up? Sounds like that's the kind of friendship that will last.