A common thing seen on this journey called college is best friends choosing different colleges. You each chose your respective schools because it was your dream school, it was a place you felt you could achieve greatness, or any one of the reasons we choose the schools we choose. The only downside to choosing our colleges is sometimes our best friend’s choose a different college. While that is a bummer, we can always look forward to the weekends we get to visit our dear friend at her school.

Visiting your friend’s college is an opportunity to see and fall in love with the school your friend calls home.

Friends. You get to meet the people who are lucky to call your friend their friend. It’s a magical time to swap stories and share many laughs. If you’re lucky enough, you all become friends and make memories that will you all will share for a lifetime

Campus. While you are visiting your friend at her college you get to experience campus life. You get to be a part of the student body that keeps campus interesting. You find out what the campus is passionate about—whether that be a divided campus during homecoming or packed out sporting events. It is a time to become a part of campus different than your own.

Heritage. Learning about the heritage and history of your friend’s school provides a greater insight into the groovy place your friend proudly calls home. You learn the stories behind buildings and find out which ones are haunted. You learn the reason why the roads are paved with bricks instead of concrete. You see the pride of the college in the heritage. You see why alumni return year after year to the place they called home for four years.

Town. Your friend also serves as your official tour guide while you are in town. You get to see the town and your friend will let you in on insider information as to where to find the best eats and where the best places are to have fun. As college students know, the college town is equally as important as the college itself.

Traditions. Every school has them, and every school’s traditions are the best no matter how quirky they seem to outsiders. If you are lucky enough to participate in these traditions, you’ll see how important they are to current students as well as alumni. Whether that be picking a color and choosing a side or chanting chants that make zero sense to those out of the loop, you see the part of that college that makes it special.

While we may not get to see our friends every day like we once did, we live for the weekends we get to travel and visit with our long lost besties. We love our own colleges with our whole hearts, but experiencing the place that your best friend loves so much will hold a special place in your heart forever.

This article is dedicated to the University of Montevallo

PV! PURPLE VICTORY!