Having friends is important, no matter how you spin it. You do not need fifteen of them, you do not even need one, but they are an aspect of life that only adds to its richness and beauty.

What got me thinking about how appreciative I am of my friends was one of them reaching out and letting us know that she was struggling with her mental health. Immediately, the rest of them responded with supportive messages and advice on who to talk to, what to say, and how to deal with it, based on their own experiences.

This made me realize that not everyone has friends that they can confide in with things as serious as mental health and well being. Sure, party friends are fun. The girls you can have a drink with and sing Beyoncé with, are fun. But the girls who you can tell anything to, no matter how embarrassing, depressing, or hard it is to say, are the ones worth keeping around.

My friends talk about everything. You name it; we’ve probably had a 2 AM discussion about it. Aliens, mac and cheese, God, anxiety, poetry, etc. are just a few of our favorite topics. We drive around, eat too much, go to the gym, and dance horribly. We offer advice on whether he’s the right one or who to go to talk to when a problem arises. My friends offer a variety of resources, which I’m not only thankful for, but to which I owe a majority of my happiness and success.

“Friends are the family you choose,” could not be any truer. We may have sisters, mothers, and grandmothers that provide support, love, and care to us in our time of need, but there is something special about the fact that friends can leave whenever they want, and choose not to. It is a way of saying, “don’t feel bad, I chose to be here for you when I became your friend,” which is a bond that is indescribably important, especially as a young woman.

At this age, we are all trying to figure out what we should do with our futures, who we should date, where we should apply for jobs, and if we are being our best selves. There's something so comforting about having a group of people who are going through the exact same thing; a group that knows what it's like to not know what tomorrow is going to bring.

I am so thankful that I have people like this in my life to have fun with and confide it. I know that I will make new friends at work, in school, and through the different stages of my life. But, I also know that the ones that I have now will probably stick around for a while. I'm really happy about that.