Dear my far away best friend,

I’ve never been a cheesy person, but when I get to see you that completely goes way. I’m sure you can guess that by the way we usually run at each other into a hug in one of our driveways. I count down the days until I can see you next – often very few and far between. Tell me again why we chose to go to schools on opposite ends of the country? And why don’t we have frequent flyer miles yet?

You are the holidays to me. Sure, the fam is great to see. But will they gossip with me about who from high school got pregnant? Will they drink mules for hours on end with me while complaining about boys? Maybe – but you’re the one I look forward to doing it with every time we both go home. I love our traditions that happen every time we go home for the holidays. Like our half-assed Black Friday shopping – because neither of us are willing to give up sleep, so we shop during normal hours and avoid the chaos. Like our chicken tender and margarita dates, which have to occur at least twice before we head back to our far off homes. These are usually followed by pizza dates, then ice cream dates. Everyone needs a best friend who is willing to eat literally 95% of the time you are together.

We legitimately have our own language. I love that I can text you a single word or phrase like “ugh” or “lol” and you automatically know how to respond. You know what annoying roommate or dumb guy to blame, and how to get my mind off of it. No one else knows what is going on when we grin at each other and utter an inside joke through poorly hidden laughter. No one else seems to quite understand me the way you do, and I don’t think I understand any other people the way I do you. You’re always the only person I actually know what to get for Christmas. I usually have your Christmas gift in mind by September, while the rest of my friends and family will get whatever I scrambled to grab on sale (sorry y’all).

Thank you for responding to my constant, needy texts, because God knows I am that one in the relationship. Thank you for answering my spontaneous FaceTime calls, even when you are about to go to class. Thank you for not sharing all the old, ridiculously awkward pictures of me you probably have hidden away somewhere. Thank you for sticking with me through the awkward phase, the angsty phase, and our long distance. Anyone who endures all that with me deserves a damn medal (or a bottle of wine, or five).

I love you tons, and can’t wait the next three weeks until I see you!

Love,

your long distance best friend