Hardly anyone ever strictly has friends their exact age. Clearly, everyone has different birth months, so it's likely there are going to be at least months between your birthdays. It is likely a person has friends all different ages. Some older and some younger. It is just how life is. Especially in high school; in college everyone is in a range of four different grades, and in high school students can be anywhere from 14-19 years old and in college typical ages run anywhere from 18 to 23 years old. That is a wide group of ages to be in the same house. The age diversity creates the best times and conversations.

There are multiple positives of having older friends. They have experienced many things you have not yet. They can give you advice. They can serve as an outside perspective on issues or a situation within your similar aged friends. They have different friends than you do, so exchanging stories and meeting new people are always options.

The sad things about having older friends is that you only have so much shared time. You are only in the same spot of life for so long. They are older, and depending how much older they will not be with you, doing the same thing in the same place for more than a short period of time.

This article is specifically thinking about my senior friends. Having the chance to live with them this year in our sorority house has been such a blessing. And so was rooming with older teammates last year during season. So many of them have become some of my closest friends. I can look up to them and hope to be as accomplished and driven as they are by the time I am in their shoes. I can listen to their struggles and defeats and hope to learn from them, so that I do not make the same mistakes. All of the seniors that are graduating in a few months are the reasons I do not want this summer to come any quicker than it does. I do not want to say goodbye to them. I do not want them to grow up yet.

I know that is how life is and adults always tell you that time goes faster the older you get. I never thought that statement would feel as real as it does now. The past year and a half at school has flown by, which is saddening because it has been the best days.

But, the good news is new people will come to campus, and more opportunities to make more friends will be at hand. And all of my older friends will all be scattered. Though that seems negative, it will be incredibly fun to visit them wherever they choose to live.

Though I am dreading the time at the end of May when they leave campus as students for the last time, I am so grateful to have the rest of the semester with them. It seems like a depressing topic, but it is more a gratitude article. I want to thank all my older friends for everything. I love you guys and look up to you all. I hope for nothing but the best for your futures and cannot wait to have you visit next year. #blessed