The transition from high school to college is hard for many reasons, but one of the hardest things is moving away from your best friend back home. As you adjust to a new schedule, a new school, a new group of friends, it's easy to drift apart from the friendships you had back home. This is my thank you for not letting any new factor affect the quality of our friendship and always being one of my favorite things to come home to.

First, I wanted to say thank you for your patience. I know I'm not the best of friends at times. I forget to text back, make time for our friendship, and I don't get to see you as much as I intended that I would be able to. But no matter what you are always so understanding. Thank you for being the example of a friend that I strive to be every single day.

Secondly, thank you for remembering the names of all the people I text you and call you about. I know that it probably gets challenging given that you have never met these people, and you probably have a hard time remembering who said what to who, and why so and so made me mad, but you always try your best. Even though you have absolutely no idea who or what I'm ranting about half the time, thank you for acting just as mad as I am in hopes that it would relieve my anger.

Thirdly, thank you for always being my voice of reason. I know it probably seems like I only call or text you when I'm in trouble and that I need something, but you seem to never mind, and that I truly truly truly can't thank you enough for. You always pick up the phone no matter how late it is and you're always there to talk me out of any trouble that I know I'm about to get myself into. You've always been the practical one in our friendship but I never knew just how much I'd be thankful for that quality of yours until now.

Lastly, thank you for always encouraging me in all of my endeavors. I know I have some pretty ridiculous ideas sometimes but you're always my number one fan through all of them. From outrageous outfit ideas to wanting to pack up my bags and skip town, you always encourage me to be 100 percent myself and that's so hard to come by. You have given me the encouragement to be comfortable in my own skin and in my own path.

Thank you for always letting our friendship pick up right where we left it. Thank you for always wanting what's good for me. And, thank you for being the most selfless person I've ever met. I wouldn't be half the person I am today if it wasn't for you and our friendship, you keep me grounded.