I wanted to take a moment to say thank you to my friends at college.

These past few weeks, I've been extremely ill, eventually leading to a diagnosis this past Monday of a virus called mono. The battle with these debilitating symptoms came to a head a couple of weeks ago when I fainted just outside of my school's dining hall. Pretty embarrassing situation, right?

Well, throughout it all, my friends stood by me. They held ice to my head to keep swelling down, made me go to the hospital instead of relying on my school's health center and made sure I was eating enough despite not wanting to even look at food.

They did so much for me, and I have to show my appreciation in this letter. So, I want to say thank you, over and over again, for everything you guys have done for me. Thank you for taking care of me these past couple of weeks. Thank you for making sure I stayed hydrated. Thank you for talking me out of doing things that would endanger my health and make things worse. Hell, thank you for getting up to get me soup when I would sit down at our usual table without any intention of getting back up.

It's crazy to think we've known each other less than a year, yet it feels like we've known each other so long. We've all helped each other through rough times and helped each other through any and every situation. You all provided a shoulder to lean on and an ear to listen, and those gifts are ones I could never repay you for.

To anyone else reading this letter, thank your friends for everything they've done for you. Even if it's something small, even if they're a friend you don't consider to be close, thank them anyway. So often, we take people for granted, and we don't realize what we have until it's gone. Even if it seems like it's not a big deal, thanking someone for everything they do for you could make their day. Make sure your loved ones know how much you appreciate them and love having them in your life.

I must say, I'm lucky to have the friends I do. I was afraid I wouldn't find a friend group in college, yet here I am with a reliable group of friends who helped me through a tough situation. Friends who made sure I was caught up with school and resting enough. They made sure I always had company, or at least someone to talk to, and they took time out of their day to make sure I was doing well. These are all things they did not have to do, but they did them anyway.

So, once again, thank you for everything you do for me, now when I'm sick, and in general. Thank you for making sure I'm doing well on a daily basis and giving me a reason to smile every day. Thank you for being you.