To the friends I've made in college,

Thank you for accepting me, for me. Anyone moving into their freshman year of college knows the uneasy feeling before you're going to have to make new friends. How do you know if the people there will be like you? Will they accept you for who you are? Will it be hard to find people who want to be your friend? The friends I've made over the past six months have made me feel like I could always be me. It was such a comforting feeling to feel accepted in a new place.

Thank you for being a shoulder to cry on. College is a brand new experience for most people. It can be so fun and exciting, but it can also feel overwhelming and too much to handle at times. I'm so thankful that the friends I've made at college have always been there to make me smile when I'm sad, or have been there to cry right along with me.

Thank you for eating with me. This may sound a little strange, but it is so important. You were always there to come with me to the dining hall so I would never have to eat alone. Getting Chinese food together would make long days just a little better. Having ice cream with a friend makes you feel a lot less guilty after eating it.

Thank you for being honest. Having true friends that will tell you something straight up makes all the difference. Knowing that the people in your life are honest with you eliminates a whole layer of stress that comes along with college life. I'm glad that I have made friends who will actually tell me the truth when I ask for their opinion.

Thank you for never being judgmental. Freshman year has proved time and time again that it wasn't going to be easy. What made it just a little easier was having friends who never judged all of my choices and mistakes as I tried to figure out the right path for me. No matter how many times I messed up, said something stupid, or did something I would regret, my friends had my back.

Thank you for so many memories. Freshman year of college will be one that I will never forget. From late night Chinese food, to going to house parties, to playing board games until three in the morning; there will always be something to remind me of this year and the times I spent with you guys.

Thank you for being more than just "college friends". Yes, you are the best friends I've made at school, but you're more than just that. When summer break is finally here, I will miss being able to see you all every day. Going from a short walk across campus to an hour drive to see each other will be a difficult change. I'm so lucky to have made friends in college that I will truly miss every day we're not here.

Thank you for being my best friends.