Dear Post High School Friends,
I know we’ve only known each other for a year and a half, but I thought it was about time I acknowledged your greatness. As you know, high school wasn’t a walk in the park for me, and any supposed friends I made along the way turned out not to be the greatest. However, life has a way of compensating for what we lack. I’ve met each one of you at a different moment, but I love you all the same.
To the ones I met during my gap semester, I want to thank you for showing me that age is nothing more than a number. I was the youngest kid in the bunch, but I never felt that way. You treated me like an equal and held high expectations. Moreover, you taught me being smart didn’t mean I had to be boring. I am not nearly as talented as any of you; I can’t draw, I don’t know every word in the dictionary, I can’t speak five languages, and I can’t teach history through architecture. Nevertheless, I am thankful that you shared your vast knowledge with me. Thank you for showing me that being bright is estimable.
In addition, you all accepted me for who I am. You accepted who I was then, and you understand that, although I might have changed, I am somehow still the same. You believed in me and encouraged me to do better. And to this day, even though we are miles apart, I feel like I still have all of you right here with me. I know I can talk to you anytime and that you will always have an opinion about what I say, it might not be the most helpful piece of advice, but it will definitely have me reevaluating my thoughts.
To the friends I met my first semester of college, I want to thank you for reminding me to stay young. I sometimes get caught up in growing up and having an amazing career and forget that I’m still in my 20s, but you are always there to show me that it’s okay to simply act my age. It’s fine to party too hard every once in a while and skip your 8 a.m., to hook up with that douche you know is not right for you. Thank you for taking care of me when I couldn’t take care of myself, for going to Marshall St. with me after the party was over, for sitting with me at Bird library freaking out about finals, for being my home away from home, and for helping me stay awake while pulling all nighters.
After my gap semester, I expected all of my friends to be like the ones I met during that time. However, my college friends taught me that friends come with different descriptions, and although you might not be able to teach me about how to survive the real world, you can teach me things my friends from my gap year can’t, like how to get over that frat boy, seriously though.
I can not express how much every single one of you means to me. I carry inside of me a little piece of you, and together you’ve helped shape who I am. I hope to make many more friends like you, but most importantly, to always have all of you by my side. I want to be able to invite every single one of you to the big bash I’m going to throw when I turn 50. Thank you for being there a year ago and still being here today. Thank you for showing me that real friends are still a thing.
