Friendships we form with people that are the same age as us can be some of the greatest friendships we could ever have. We often experience similar life events together, like going through the trials and tribulations of college, and reach those milestones side by side. However, there is another type of friendship that I value very much, and those are the friendships I’ve developed with my friends that are older than me.

When you have a friend that’s a few years older than you, there’s a bit of a different dynamic. An older friend can show you the ropes, guide you, and bring a lot of fun into your life. As a college student, I’ve been very lucky and have developed close relationships with older people. While they are not on campus with me today, they are still constantly supporting me, and I have a lot to thank them for.

Thank you for actually talking to me. This may sound kind of funny, but you were under no obligation to socialize with me. You were older, you had established friends and lives. But you still made an effort to get to know me, and I am very grateful for that.

Thank you for making me more adventurous. I got to college and while I wanted to get involved with organizations on campus, you guys opened my eyes to the world around me. You introduced me to awesome people and got me to explore outside of my own little bubble. Even the little moments were incredible because I got to experience them with you.

Thank you for let me hang out at your place. Being upperclassmen, you guys had nicer apartments. Thanks for letting me crash there for the night when I was too tired to make the long trek back to my dorm room. Also, thanks for giving me a place to escape when I went through the inevitable drama of my freshman year… because, as you know, there was a lot.

Thanks for being some of the best mentors I’ve ever had. Even though you were only a few years older than me, you already had so much life experience. Thank you for giving me advice on how to survive school and the others trials and tribulations I would face. I am eternally grateful for the late nights where we stayed up and talked, when you picked me up when I was feeling low. I took your advice to heart, and I became a better person because of it.

Thank you for still being there for me to this day. When you all graduated and began the next steps of your lives, it was hard at first for me to adjust to you not being there. Yet I was so fortunate, because you guys were only a phone call or text away. To this day, you are still constantly giving me advice as I continue through the new phases of my life.

I constantly feel so grateful to have met all of my older friends. They have shaped me into a better person, and I am so happy to have this incredible connection with them. While we might not be together all the time anymore, I am still happy with all the memories we’ve made, and excited for the memories to come.