We've all seen the famous Sex and the City quote“Maybe our girlfriends are our soulmates and guys are just people to have fun with.” - Candace Bushnell
No experience will solidify this quote for you like attending college. Whenever you leave the security of your family, you seek out similar feelings of security in the arms of the many friends that compose your collegiate experience.
As much as we all like to ignore it, friends come and go. There are a select few that stick with you through thick and thin, but most of the friends we make, at least during college, are there for a season rather than for the long haul. This vast variety of friends have completed our soul at one time or another and have served the purpose we needed them to.
Whenever Carrie came to New York, Samantha served as a sort of guide to the city, showing her the ropes and introducing her to her lifestyle. As the series progressed, Samantha became Carrie's closest friend and continuously expanded her views on the world and showed her new things.
My Samantha came to me during middle school and hasn't left my side since. We have had our ups and downs and have disagreed on many things, but, at the heart of it, we are inseparable parts of one another and will irrevocably complete the others soul for years to come.
We all remember Carrie's friend Kyra, the one who refused to replace Carrie's lost Manolos following her baby shower. This friend was once very near and dear to Carrie, but, once she was introduced to new experiences, she and Carrie grew apart.
My Kyra came to me in high school. For several years, we completed one another and helped each other make several of the largest decisions of our lives. Whenever we came to UT together, our relationship went south as we discovered the different aspects of college and developed very different interests. Today, I reflect on our friendship fondly but recognize that we needed to grow apart so that we would continue to meet new people and shape ourselves into our ideal selves.
Laney, the crazy party girl that never turned down a night on the town, showed the girls that she had served her purpose in their lives when she refused to give up the party after having her baby. She was fun for them to hang out with when they were younger and had a love for crazy nights out, but, as they aged, Laney became a representation of their crazy youth and a symbol for a friend who had solidified her spot in their pasts.
My Laney came midway through my collegiate career. I was struggling in all aspects of my life and needed to let loose. This girl was care-free, loved to experience new things, and was more than happy to take me along for the ride. We had many laughs and crazy nights and we both ended the friendship with plenty of fun stories to tell. I moved past this phase of my life and she chose to hang on to it a little longer. There is nothing wrong with this. We were what each other needed at the time and that is what matters.
Long after the nights you spent laughing together about senseless things, you will look back and either regard these memories with love or distaste. I encourage you to cherish each woman who once made you whole because, regardless of how things turned out, she was once the soulmate you needed.
Now, as you grow up and prepare to graduate, you have (hopefully) identified your Charlotte, Miranda, and Samantha and are prepared to hold them close. Cherish these women as they have proven to be your permanent soul mates. The women you met along the way helped mold you into the flawless woman you are and helped you meet the women you will take with you for the rest of your journey.
College teaches you that friends come and go and ensures you that your friends really are your soul mates, regardless of the length of the time you spend with them.
