Whenever anything happens to me, my natural reaction is to text you, to call you, to go to your room and knock on your door until you wake up from your mid-afternoon nap and talk to me. But this year, I won’t be able to do that, because you’ll be more than 3,000 miles away across an ocean.

The fact that you’re leaving for your own adventure is something I’ve been avoiding all summer. Living in different states is fine, so being halfway across the world can’t be so bad, right? But being back on campus without you, my partner in crime, feels different. It feels emptier to know that I can’t just text you to meet me at the Sunken Gardens no matter what time it is, to accompany me to the Grind every time I crave their delicious grilled cheese, and to escort me to Wawa every time I get hungry at 2 a.m.

But life goes on, and both of us will be having plenty of adventures this year. Maybe we won’t be getting into our regular shenanigans side-by-side, but that doesn’t mean our friendship won’t be just as strong. Soon, we’ll both be immersed in the stressful balancing act that is living the life of a college student—but don’t think that doesn’t mean I won’t skype you, message you, and whatsapp you every chance I get.

I’ll miss you a lot, no doubt about it. The reasons I’ll miss you are the same reasons that your worldly adventure will be such a great one. You’re a great friend—you are smart, kind, hilarious, honest, supportive, and silly, among many other things. You’re going to have an incredible time studying, or not studying, abroad. While you’re gallivanting around halfway across the world, I’ll be missing you when you aren’t here for every walk to class, every vaguely dissatisfying meal at Sadler, or every crazy night out. But while I will be doing some of the same old things (minus you), you’ll be having a whole new adventure. And it’s going to be amazing.

And yes, I’ll still be in the same place, but I’ll also be experiencing new times laughing, crying, and learning. Don’t think for one second that you won’t hear about them over every form of instant messaging.

Don’t worry about missing me. You don’t have to, and you shouldn’t. It may be weird for me experiencing college for another year, and this time without you by my side, but I’ll get over it, and you’ll be over it before you even have time to be sad. You have every chance in the world to make your brand-new experience what you want it to be, need it to be, or dream about it being. Don’t let memories of a time or place thousands of miles away hold you back from having the time of your life.

And don’t forget—I’m definitely visiting over spring break.