College is a serious time of transition in most people’s lives. You are all of a sudden functioning solely on your own, and that means making ‘new’ friends all on your own too. Everyone leaves high school thinking their friend group will never fade, but in that college transition you grow and change as people. You gain new interests and new hobbies, and some of those people slowly fall out of your life. In time, you find new people, and get closer to a few that you never thought you would.

1. They met you at a time that was weird for all of you.

As a college freshman, you are scared, miss your mom, and sick of dining hall food on the first day. As you meet new people through joining clubs and branching out, you learn that everyone is the same as you and you all just want to fit in and make it through this thing together.

2. They accepted you without judgment.

In that odd time, you met those people that you instantly became close with, and the reason for that was, they immediately accepted you for who you were. If you remained friends with someone from high school, they had to accept who you became in college, which honestly can be very hard. In the end, however, your friendship got stronger.

3. They will never be afraid, to be honest with you.

Your closest friends will start every conversation in which they are giving you advice by saying “Honest opinion or what you want to hear?” They almost always end up giving you their honest opinion, and even though it can be hard to hear, you know they have your best interests at heart.

4. Even when they are annoyed with what you are talking about, they still listen.

Rambling on about your crush for the 67th time? They’ll tell you that you’re too good for him for the 67th time.

5. They encourage you to adventure with them.

Good friends encourage you to explore new things, great friends explore with you. Whether that means adventuring to every single small town surrounding your university or taking on a summer job that will change you both forever. It will happen and it will be something you all will never forget.

6.They will never hold back a good roast.

Your forever friends will be the first people to help you when you’ve messed up and they will also be the first people to roast you for it later. The best kind of friends are the ones you can playfully make fun of and they can give it back harder.

7.They love the person you love.

Forever friends are the ones that start out super skeptical of the person you have fallen in love with. They don’t want you to get hurt so they keep their guard up for you. Once that person has gained their approval, your friends will love your person just as much as you do, because of how happy they make you, but even more, because they know you’ll do the same for them.

8. They show you endless support.

Your current friends are the ones that will support you and be your biggest cheerleaders forever. Every move you make, every step you take they’ll be saying “GO BEST FRIEND THAT'S MY BEST FRIEND” because all they want for you is to succeed and one day when they accomplish their goals you’ll all be cheering for them as loud as you can too. If ever any of you fail, you know they will be there to pick you up and keep you moving.

Friendships have come and gone throughout the years, for all of us. However, we make new friends and meet new people for a reason. The people you find in your toughest times are the ones that you will keep forever. They came in knowing you at your worst and you have watched each other grow up and become the amazing humans you are. You have survived fights, hardship, and change. They have supported you through it all, and will for the rest of your life. And for that, I will be eternally grateful.