I didn’t really have a solid group of friends in high school until senior year. I had friends all throughout high school, but I never had a group of friends all within the same friend group. I really didn’t know what I was missing out on, since my friend group is pretty awesome (I know I am a little bit biased, but still). You made my last few months of high school great. Between the group messages, constant hangouts, and all the other adventure we had, I wouldn’t trade it for the world. You’ve been there for me in more ways than one, and I don’t think that you realize how much that means to me, but that’s okay. We would talk about the end of the summer, hoping it wouldn’t come so we wouldn’t need to part our ways. Of course, we ended up going off to different schools and different cities ranging from Erie, Pennsylvania, Bristol, Rhode Island, and commuting to school. We made the best of our distance and kept the group message alive and well. I can count on all of you to listen to my silly rants and to keep me grounded when freaking out over the next boy or bad grade to cross my path. You give the best advice when I am doubting myself and when I am facing a serious decision. You made sure that we had the best senior year and the best summer we possibly could.

When I look back on high school, there is a sadness that hits because I realize it’s over. The memories made, freak outs about what the future held, and the madness that ensued the last few months of senior year (we all know what I’m referring to here), I’m glad I got to go through it with you by my side. All the things that we thought were totally relevant and would last forever, are mere memories now.

Reuniting this week has made me realize how much I missed all of you, which was even more than I thought I did. We all have different lives now. We live in different cities with different friends and new stories to tell. We only have a month left before we go back to our new lives, and as much as I’m looking forward to it, I don’t want to leave you again. You’ve seen me grow, and I’ve seen you grow in ways that didn’t make sense until we look back on it. I miss all of the ice cream runs and the sleepovers and the driving with no destination in sight we have had, but more importantly I am excited for the new adventures we are going to have together. I’m excited to just sit down and trade our college stories for hours on end. Call me selfish, but I’m excited to have you to myself for the next month. I wish we could have sat at that table at Panera for hours longer than we did while trading stories back and forth, but that just excites me for the next time we all go out together. I know the stories will be endless and the company will be amazing, as we spend our days on bigger and better things than the over-priced cafeteria food provided by Nexdine and the scrambling to finish our Strive for a Five for AP Psychology class (let’s face it, that never really got done anyways). The reunion nights will be spent full of laughter and getting tipsy, with the occasional game of Cards Against Humanity thrown in there for old times sake.

I’m glad I got to grow up with you, even if it was only for a little while. The distance has made our friendship even stronger, as we have had to work hard to keep it alive, since we don’t spend every morning congregating in Homeroom 103 anymore. I promise to cherish all of our time together and to keep you in my mind, always. Here's to the good times, the bad, and the ugly. I wouldn't want to ditch our last choir with anybody else. Thanks for being wonderfully great human beings, because without you I would be a totally different person. Spellman now, Spellman Forever.