Last week, I was wearing a pair of jeans that I haven't worn for months, probably because they're not sweatpants and, well, you know me. I reached into my pocket, and to my pleasant surprise, pulled out a twenty dollar bill. A moment later, as with anything else, I texted my best friend to share the good news. After thinking about it for a little while, I realized that the start of our friendship was not much different. My best friend came into my life spontaneously and unexpectedly, and while a twenty dollar bill is nice, she is priceless.
It's funny how this time last year, we didn't know a lot of the people we now consider family. I was unaware that somewhere, in a completely different state, there was a person who would become the one I would spend all my nights with, eating uncontrollably and laughing about boys and our crazy decisions. I was unaware that I would find someone so opposite, yet so similar to me; it's like we're on two different planets, but our sky is the same color. She's special, too. There are few people I know that would let my alarm run for about twenty minutes and then eat chocolate with me for breakfast, and even fewer people that would share their favorite ice cream with me.
For the first few months of college, the transition was a challenge. I felt like everyone was finding their soulmate, best friend, or "person", except me. I even thought about transferring, because I just thought that there was something wrong with me. Am I not likable? Why don't I fit in here? Is there something I'm not seeing? Am I the only one who feels this way? I was overwhelmed with thoughts, and clung on to my friends from home for dear life, even though they were establishing their own groups. This wasn't what I wanted. I came to college believing that I would immediately find a group of people who shared the same interests as me, and we would be like the group from "How I Met Your Mother" or "Friends". I have amazing friends, but for a while, I was always somewhat jumping in and out of different friend groups, and everyone within them had someone else. I didn't have a "day one" best friend and I thought that was a bad thing, but it turns out she was right in front of me the whole time, I just couldn't see.
Behind every friendship, there is always a story. We were never roommates, we never took a class together, we hung out with different people, and yet we stumbled into each other's paths. It's a confusing timeline because it all happened so fast... it's like we were never not friends, we just weren't best friends yet. All it took was a student government election, a mutual love for eating everything we're not supposed to eat, and coincidentally having to pee at the same time one day. It was all so gloriously natural and effortless, it was unlike anything I had ever experienced.
I finally understand now. I understand what it's like to struggle on Instagram because we have too many photos together, I understand what it's like to have an Amy Poehler to my Tina Fey, Taylor Swift to my Selena Gomez, and every other blonde/brunette best friend combination. I understand what it's like to be apart from someone who changed my life, and someone who I am so proud of. The conversation of "I wonder who will get married first" and fantasizing about our own kids being best friends in the future already happened, and it wasn't even weird. I understand what it's like to have someone to go on crazy adventures with, but have hour long conversations from the heart. And with a big smile on my face, I understand what it means to have a person. So, it only took the entirety of freshman year, making you the opposite of a "day one," but you will always be the dancer to my music, and I love you, miss VP.
