When we graduated high school, I was bursting with emotions: excited to be leaving the small town I had felt trapped in for so long, nervous for what my future held, and proud of myself for getting to where I was. I'll be honest with you, though. Graduation day didn't bring about any sadness. For me, there was no reason to be sad on that day- only reasons to smile and be grateful.

Sure, there were those times senior year where I thought about how much I would miss you guys and all the great times we had but those thoughts were always so swiftly washed away with piles of acceptance letters and eagerness for more experiences in life. I knew that the day would come that I would be packing up and driving 5 hours away but that time still felt so far away. Boy, was I wrong. That summer after graduation went by quicker than a Christmas morning. Sooner than I had anticipated, I packed up all my things, hugged you all goodbye, and started this new chapter of my life.

I had always worried that we would grow apart. People always say that you meet your bridesmaids in college and that the friends you make there are for a lifetime. Don't get me wrong, I have met some remarkable people at school in the last few years, but when I think about who will stand beside me one day- I still think about you guys. Thank you all for never letting months spent apart drive a wedge between our friendships. Thank you for texting frequently just to say you miss me or that you saw something I did on Facebook and you wanted to congratulate me. It is in these moments that I know our friendship is forever.

Thank you for answering my Skype or phone call at any hour of the day knowing that the conversation is going to take at least two hours. Sometimes, hearing an opinion from you guys or knowing that you have my back on something is all I need to keep going. Thank you also for sharing old pictures of us on Facebook and through texts all the time. I love seeing these memories and being reminded that these good times are just at a pause right now, not a stop.

Thank you for bringing me back down to earth when the stress of school, work, sports, and other activities gets to be too much. When you talk through these things with me, I am always reminded of what is important in life and feel as though I can breathe again. Thank you for being my biggest supporters and toughest critics, always knowing which role I need you to fill.

Thank you for making coming home that much more exciting, and thank you for driving countless hours some weekends just to meet me at home for lunch so we can hang out for a few hours. These moments are so precious to me and I can't thank you enough for caring that much about our friendship.

Above all, thank you for not giving up on this friendship. Just like any other kind of relationship, long distance friendships can be stressful. Thank you for not making this one of those. Long distant friendships can be inconvenient and feel unnecessary. Thank you for making time for this one and understanding its importance. Thank you for making other friends that value you as much as I do, but thank you for not leaving me for them.

High school was full of ups and downs, but having you all by my side made it so much easier. College is the same way, except instead of having you by my side you're at another school or in another state. No big deal- it just makes the reunions that much sweeter.