August is a very bittersweet month for college students! Summer is slowly coming to an end and we are cramming in last minute activities with friends that we will not see for a while, all while trying to pack up our belongings and prepare to head back to the universities that we love. We pack our clothes, pillows & blankets, our Apple computers, and a bunch of other crap we won't ever use, but it still feels like something is missing.
As much as we love being back on campus, we miss our hometown friends! Now, "hometown friend" is weird and funny to say out loud, but how else do we refer to our friends at home when we start babbling about them to new friends at school? And once we do start talking about them we can't stop. So many memories start replaying in your mind and you can't help but crack a smile. We love our hometown friends for so many reasons, which makes it even harder to say goodbye at the end of summer.
You have known them for years. Chances are you have been friends with them for so long that you don't know how many years you have actually been friends. You played on the same sports teams when you were little and graduated high school together. They have seen you with braces and bangs, but they didn't have the heart to tell you how bad you looked. If you got in trouble, they were right next to you getting yelled at as well.
They are family. Since you have known them for so long, you treat them like family. They know way too much about you for you to let them slip away and tell all your secrets. You keep them close because you love them like siblings, and no one else can claim them but you.
They love you for you. Your friends from home are the people that know every detail about you and still love you anyway. They accept you and continue to be your friends no matter how goofy or crazy you can be.
You love them for them (even if they are a pain in the ass). And you accept their craziness and goofiness too, making you perfect for each other.
You trust them (with your life?) You trust them with your life, which may or may not be a bad thing. You know if you ever needed anything they would be there, even if they are hours away from where you are.
It is not all sad and sappy when your hometown friends leave to go back to school though. There are so many things to look forward to when it comes to being away from friends. It makes seeing each other 10 times sweeter, and you are more grateful for the little time you get to spend together.
You get excited when they visit. Of course all visitors are welcome when you are away at school, but when your hometown friends come to visit you are exploding with happiness. You get to take them to all your favorite spots around campus and show them what your school is all about.
First people / person you want to call. My hometown friends and I have a group chat to stay in touch. There are times when I want to kill them because it is 2 a.m. and I am trying to get some sleep before my 8 a.m. class, but I love reading their stories and still being connected even when we are miles apart.
Planning ahead. You are always planning ahead to see them as much as possible when you come home for breaks. A week or month with your hometown friends is exactly what you need to recoup and relax while at home!
I have learned over the years that my "hometown friends" are my forever friends. You never really say bye, but when you part ways, just know that they will always be waiting for you when you get home and that is the most comforting feeling in the world.
Shout-out to my hometown girls. I love you with all my heart and more!
