There's a large chance that many of us will take the jump and embark on a journey that will send you across the world for six months of even a year. For me, that will probably never be the case because I love living on campus too much. For my best friend, however, it's happening in a few weeks. I have gone through every stage you can, from random crying to immense joy and pride. There's stages you go through to accept six months witout your best friend, your rock, your go-to person. Here are the stages you go through to accept your best friend studying abroad, as told by "Friends" gifs:
The excitement stage:
You are so impressed they were accepted to a top university and program. And you know they will do nothing less than impress the people they work with. You can't wait to hear about their adventures and successful classes, because you know they are so great that they will succeed at literally anything they do. The initial news makes you as excited as they are. You truly believe you can survive six months without them.
The "I won't have any friends" stage:
If you're dramatic like me, you go through a stage where you feel like you'll have no one by your side. You feel like your best friend is the only one who understands you and has your back; and no one can fill that void when they leave. This may be true, you know you have a lot of amazing and great friends, but no one is like your best friend. They are the person you always want to see and never need a break from. You'll just need to find a decent equivalent to fill the void.
The complete breakdown stage:
This is the point where you decide to hold on and never let them go. This is where you realize that all the football games, sushi runs, and late nights watching Netflix will either happen with someone else, or not at all. This is the point where you know no matter how hard you want to hold onto them, that you have to let them go. You cry, and then you see them, and then you cry a little more. You ask if you can see their pets and family when you come home for breaks, and you threaten to fly out to where they're living if they don't FaceTime you enough.
The "we can do this" stage:
This is kind of the point where you realize this is way harder for them than it is for you. You stop being selfish with your best friend-- and sometimes it's hard because they are so great. But they are leaving everything and everyone to go to a strange place for six months with no breaks or trips home. You accept that this is happening and you have to figure out how to make it work for your friendship. You have to make sure your happiness and excitement shows more than your sadness. You offer support and advice, and you promise to FaceTime at 3 in the morning if that's what works best. You only cry and complain about it to your mom because your bff does not need that.
The final countdown stage:
This is right before the end. All you want to do is see your best friend as much as you can. You hold on so tight before you have to let go. You offer to come over to do chores, or shopping, literally anything to spend more time with them. You help them plan their trips and listen to them with the pride as they talk about their future classes and adventures. You hold back your tears and cherish every second you have.
Remember that you are lucky enough to have a best friend that you are going to miss more than you have ever missed anyone or anything. Watching them get ready to leave is the proudest and saddest you'll feel; but at the end of it all you'll still have a best friend who loves and supports you from all the way across the world. And that is pretty cool.
So wish your best friend luck, cry at the airport, and help them pack. You'll see them soon.
Good luck, best friend, I love you.
