Dear Besties,

Upon graduating high school, regardless of how excited I was to go away to school and meet new people, I promised myself that my high school best friends would always come first. I thought that the bond that I shared with my current best friends was unbreakable, and that no new friendship could ever outshine, or outgrow, the ones I had been maintaining not only for the past four years of high school, but since kindergarten.

Though, after a few short months of being at school, I realized that my BFFs may not actually be my best friends forever. No matter how hard I tried to preserve those friendships, they began to slowly fade. I used to beat myself up for not trying hard enough, not calling frequently enough and not showing how much I cared. But, since then, I have realized that people change, and that relationships change, and that it's plainly part of life. Regardless of anything I could have done, those friendships were just simply not meant to last--and that’s OK.

Sometimes our plans don’t work out quite how we imagined, and sometimes, no matter how much work you put into something, it’s just not meant to be. Sometimes friendships that you thought would last forever, end. And sometimes they end, so we can begin new ones.

That being said, my past three years of college have taught me many things: never take an 8 AM, there’s no such thing as going out for one drink, the freshman fifteen is real and that procrastinating isn’t just a verb or an occasional state of being – it’s a lifestyle.

Yet, the most important thing that I have found to be true thus far, is that college really is where you find your true friends; your forever friends.

Therefore, I would just like to say thank you to my incredible best friends; because I don’t say it nearly enough.

Thank you for showing me what true friendship is; for knowing all of my flaws and secrets and deciding to love me anyways. Thank you for proving to me that it’s not about who you’ve known the longest, but about who came and never left your side.

Thank you for listening to me complain about anything and everything, for telling me I look pretty (even when we both know I'm looking hella' rough) and for acting like it's completely normal that I talk to myself on a regular basis. Thank you for never saying no to ice-cream, accepting that I’m not going to respond to your text messages and for guarding my ugly, embarrassing snapchats with your life.

Thank you for always saying yes to one more shot, for sharing comfortable silences with me and for letting everything that’s yours, be mine too. Thank you for encouraging my obnoxious dance moves, agreeing to still be seen in public with me (even after all the times I’ve embarrassed you) and ensuring me that the last thing in the world that I need is a boyfriend.

Thank you for giving me rides everywhere, convincing me no one else's opinions but ours matter and always having my back even when I’m wrong. Thank you for making my battles, your battles and holding my hand every step of the way. Thank you for telling me when I’m being ridiculous, for jamming out to throwback J-Lo with me and for helping me back up when I fall (literally).

Thank you for reminding me that everything always works out, that things are always better than they seem and that I’m probably just over-thinking and freaking out about nothing (per usual). Thank you for allowing me to wear my robe where I shouldn’t, for acting like you’re not ignoring me (even though I know you’re totally ignoring me) when I’m being annoying and for deeply discussing every possible aspect of life with me.

Thank you for appreciating my sense of humor, sharing my desire to explore the world and supporting whatever I do as long as it makes me happy. Thank you for treating me like part of your family, always encouraging me to be the best person I can be and reminding me that my dreams (most of them at least) aren’t unattainable.

I could fill endless pages thanking you for all of the little things you do each and every day that go unsaid; but, before they get too specific and I reveal to the world how dysfunctional our friendship really is, I think I’ll give it a rest.

I know I am not the most open or affectionate person, and I know that I’m often all too sarcastic and stubborn – but I really do love you guys and I could not do life without you. Words cannot explain how thankful I am to have you as my sisters and for all that you do for me. So, for the millionth time, thank you.

Love,

Your Weird Best Friend