Going away for college can be unseemly daunting. Especially if it’s over a couple hours away from home, you can feel like you have zero support. Often you don’t know anyone and if you’re like me (extremely shy), then you have to rely on dorm meet-ups and your extra friendly roommates to find friends. But even as you’re finding yourself and making new friends, the old ones linger in the back of your head. You go to tell a joke that your best friend since the seventh grade would have loved and then stop. She’s not there to giggle and grab onto you as you both fall to the floor in helpless laughter. Sure, you will soon find what makes your new friends giggle with abandon, but your friends from home will always be at the edge of your thoughts.

Leaving your parents is somewhat easier, simply because you have to keep in contact with your parents. Precisely everyday around 6 p.m. you know you will get a call from your mom checking to make sure you’ve eaten three meals, that you’re getting enough sleep and most importantly that you’re actually going to your classes. But your friends? They’re just as busy as you are getting settled into their new lives. Learning to navigate this almost adult life that was just handed to them, no questions asked. It’s not that you are suddenly stuck on the back burner; it’s more like we’re all swishing in a frying pan, coming into occasional contact.

So here’s to my friends that I left at home (or who also went away).

I never question your friendship and I hope you never question mine.

I’ll never forget our inside jokes. Especially the ones that make no sense and sound like gibberish.

I’m sorry I suck at keeping in contact. Really, I miss our conversations and anytime you text me first my heart soars to know you’ve been thinking about me too.

I constantly stalk your social media. I know everything you’ve been doing and all of your achievements. I’m always so proud of you.

I appreciate every plan that is made -- and canceled. In this instance, it is truly the thought that counts and what makes the long months of not seeing each other bearable. So what if we don’t ever actually go on the crazy road trips, the fun was really being able to text each other about nonsense again.

Please know I always, with every fiber of my being, love you and appreciate every single day of high school that was spent cheering each other up, fighting over dumb things we wouldn’t even remember the next week and unconditionally picking on each other. The love is still here, tucked into every corner of my heart.

There are days where I hope for nothing except to come home to you. To weekends spent in bed binge watching movies, "American Horror Story" and "Teen Wolf," stuffing our faces with zebra cakes and pickle chips. To days filled with music and laughter and trying to talk over one another because we’re all so excited. To the nights spent driving from one house to the next; never sure of where we’re actually going to end up. To the hugs, hand holding and affection that I know only you guys can give when I’m feeling my best and worst. On these days where I can do nothing but think of home, I will text you, unable to convey everything I am feeling in just the words, “I miss you, I can’t wait to see you!”

As I’m writing this, I cannot help but become overwhelmed with joy, sadness and nostalgia of all the memories made. Please, let us not wait so long in between visits.

I love you.