Dear Best Friend,

Let me begin by saying I love you. As my best friend, you’ve become everything to me. You’re my partner in crime, my confidant, my conscience, my fashion consultant and my sister. Four years ago, I couldn’t imagine ever meeting someone like you. Now I can’t imagine life without you. And that scares me more than you may know.

You happened into my life that first week of college and, miraculously, we became the best of friends. Now we’re approaching our final few months of college and everything is on the brink of changing. Once we walk across that stage, we’ll go back to living in different states, hours apart. Only this time, we’re not coming back together after the summer ends. We both have our plans for the future and they no longer involve living in the same apartment. We’ll be miles apart, surrounded by new people, starting new stages in our lives.

I know they say in true friendships, time and distance don’t matter. They say if your friendship is really as strong as you think, it can overcome anything. I’d like to believe that’s true of us; trust me, if any friendship can survive the transition after college, it’s you and me. But I’ve also seen that sometimes life has other plans. And there are times when you look back and wish you had just said something while you had the chance. So consider this me saying something while I have the chance.

I don’t want you going anywhere. I don’t want to go anywhere. We made it through four ridiculous years of college together and there had better be many more years with you by my side. I want you to be the first person I call when my future husband proposes. Better yet, I want you to be the one he calls when planning the proposal. I want you standing by my side on that alter when I say, “I do.” I want you there for years after, as an aunt to my kids, teaching them all sorts of terrible things, just as we’ve imagined.

Whether we wind up living next door to each other, with a giant tree connecting our children’s bedrooms, or we end up on opposite ends of the country, please know that I intend to always be there for you. You mean the world to me and I don’t ever want to wake up one day to find you’re not a part of my life anymore.

Big changes are coming. As scared as I am of the changes, I’m more scared to lose you through them. At times it’s hard for me to find the words to express this, but it was something I couldn’t let go unsaid. I love you more than anything and I want you to know as the future unfolds, I have no intention of going anywhere. You’re stuck with me, whether you like it or not.

With love,

Your Best Friend