As summer is coming to end, my friends from home are slowly starting to head back to college. This summer has made me so grateful for my high school friendships. Being apart from one another this past year and reuniting this summer showed me that my group of friends will always be by my side, no matter what.

Here are six reasons why I'm grateful for them:

1. They make me laugh.

Whenever i'm with my friends, I just laugh. Like I mean laugh till I cry and my stomach hurts, laugh.(Especially Francesca, you make me laugh the most). Whatever we do, wherever we go, we just make our own fun. Even if I'm having the absolute worst day, they never fail to make it better with a laugh. Also, the greatest laughs that we share come from messing with each other, especially my beloved friend, Nicole. (Sorry that we pull so many pranks on you, It's just funny and we love you).

2. They know me best.

My friends from home are honestly like my family. They know everything about me, all my likes and dislikes, and who I am as a person. They know that I love anything monogrammed or even related to Tory Burch. In turn, I know them just as well. I always know that it's essential to have goldfish or pretzels at any function for Kelli and that shopping is all our beloved hobby. I know that Nicole will eat Chinese food any chance that she can. That Fran has a obsession for chicken souvlaki and that Katie is always down for sushi or suggesting my next binge watch series.

3. They go through the same things as I do.

I'm never alone in any struggle that I face because my friends and I all face the same things. We all spent every day of high school together at our all-girl school. We ate together, did work together and spent every second together. Going to college was a culture shock. It was all new people and in a whole new place. It was not a tiny little environment anymore where we wore jumpers and ate cookies together. We now had to go to class with our hair and makeup done, and figure out outfits every day (safe to say that I miss the LH Jumper just a tad). It's a struggle that we all shared together.

4. They are my built-in hair, makeup and stylist team.

All I have to say is thank God for Francesca Mecca and her curling iron skills and hair styling abilities. Thank you for always making me look fabulous and chic. You always know what hair product to use, how to get a flawless curl and that Ulta is the holy mecca and place to buy all beauty products. Kelli Pengue, thank you for the endless outfit tips and helping me pick the perfect outfit. Lastly, I'd be lost without all of the group chat voting on what handbag to buy or what color shoe to get. The struggle is real.

5. I can ask for advice and get a real answer.

I've been called upon at midnight to give emergency boy advice to a friend, and I've called and texted my friends during problems that I've encountered in my life and we all have asked each other for help. I can honestly say that I was blessed with four friends who I can ask for an honest opinion and I will get it. As they say, honesty is the best policy, and you guys are always honest. They know what to say and when to say it. They always have my best interests at heart and they help me with anything when I'm struggling. Thank you for giving me the best advice, even if it's hard to hear sometimes. We are all real with one another and for that, I'm grateful.

6. I have the greatest memories with them.

Some of the best days of my life include these four people. You are a part of who I am today; our days in high school together have shaped me into who I am today. I look back on our high school adventures with fondness and wish to relive them every day. I will always treasure that time together. I will always look back on our sleepovers and Christmas parties with a smile. Thank you for our city days and our train rides that scared me. Thank you for being there at graduation, cheering each other on into our next chapters of our lives. Thank you for being a support system through our first year of college. Thank you for our summer adventures together and for our future adventures to come.

For that, I'm grateful.