Transitioning into college is an adventure in itself. It’s a new place with all new people and you realize you have your whole life ahead of you. This can be daunting and scary, but once you find the people that make the college so special, the rest is history.
Your college friends are a group of people that you’ll share irreplaceable memories with. No one else can directly relate to the memories you make together during your four years of college, which is really special. Together you experience years of highs and lows as you navigate your personal journey into adulthood. Luckily, these friends will stick around post-college, but you’ll never be as close as you are now. What’s so great is that you can spend every day with these like-minded people in classes, in your house, at parties, and at the gym. There’s literally always someone around to talk to or go for a drive and chat about the tea of last weekend with. It is easy to get caught up in the stressful parts of college life, but it is truly special to spend these four years laughing and learning with your friends.
My own personal experience involves living in a house with seven other girls. We met freshman year through living in the same dorm, some of us roommates, others friends from orientation. It’s crazy to think about how fate places certain people at a specific school in a particular dorm to connect us to each other. If you didn’t vibe with your freshman year roommate, your path to your besties probably looked a little different, which is totally normal. The cool thing about college friends is that you completely get to choose who you surround yourself with. Finding your people may take some time, but once you find them they’ll be by your side forever. My friends and I have similar values, but we do not all have the exact same interests or opinions. I love listening to their taste in music or borrowing from their closets when I want to step outside of my own comfort zone.
For most people, college is their first time living away from home without their family. Although this can be a big transition, college dorms/apartments/houses are such a fun stage of life. It’s practically a sleepover with your besties every night! The creative freedom to decorate your own space, cook in your own kitchen, and organize your own daily schedule is a new level of independence. Don’t undervalue the freedom you get during this stage in your life, where responsibilities are relatively low and opportunity is high. Time flies and before you know it you may be living with a significant other or changing your baby’s diapers reminiscing on the days when you woke up on Sundays at noon and recapped last night’s drunk adventures with bagels and coffee.
I know 3:00 am dance parties in the kitchen and watching the sunrise from our roof won’t last forever, but the memories of these moments will. To quote The Office, “I wish there was a way to know you were in the good old days before you actually left them.” Hug your friends tight and appreciate them every day!
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