The friends we make in college become our family. To me, this became especially apparent during my sophomore year. It may be different for each person, but freshman year was a tough adjustment. I had a difficult time feeling 100% comfortable in my dorm, and back then, I couldn’t imagine myself referring to school as “home.” Fortunately, I have finally adjusted and I have settled into an apartment with my roommates who have become my sisters, and my other best friends who might as well just move in with us because they spend more time here than in their own homes. Here are a few signs to reinforce the fact that your best friends have become more like family:
1. You treat your friends’ dilemmas as your own. You need to hear the latest news regarding situations going on in their lives constantly. You would have a subscription to daily (or hourly) updates if it were possible. When they have bad news, you’re probably just as upset as they are. If they’re sick, you’re just as affected, because your time is spent playing “mom” and taking care of them instead of doing homework.
2. When your best friend has a boyfriend, you’re basically dating him also. There is no such thing as “third wheeling” (unless you are the boyfriend). Boys, if you’ve committed to one of us, you have also committed to all of us.
3. Your wardrobe has at least doubled. You’ll often find yourself sending texts saying things like, “I got us a new shirt!” or “You’ll love our new boots.” Yes, OUR new boots. Just the other day my best friend tried on a dress and sent me a picture captioned, “If I got this dress, do you think we would wear it?” Of course, I excitedly replied, “YES.” New clothes for everyone!
4. Although going home for the holidays is nice for a little while, it won’t be long before you feel empty. Holiday breaks are supposed to be full of relaxation, happiness, and time with family and friends from home, so you may not understand the reason for such unnecessary gloom. Don’t worry though, you’ll figure it out when you’re reunited with your college family and suddenly regain peace-of-mind.
5. It probably took at least a few months for you and your high-school best friend to become severely inseparable, and if you’re lucky, you still are. While this may be the case, it most likely only took about one week for you and your college friends to quite literally conjoin. You live with them, they’re your most convenient and more importantly, most effective, support system, and you are now a single entity.
6. You know those oh-so-loving altercations between you and your siblings after a spending a little bit too much time together? Don’t be alarmed when you and your college best friends find yourselves getting into minor squabbles. Like I said, they will become your sisters. Odds are, the bickering will be insignificant in 5 minutes or less.
7. Don’t be ashamed if you slightly embarrass yourself on a Saturday night. You’re never alone, because your friends were probably equally as embarrassing and you’ll be able to count on them to mourn with you. Those situations are always better when you know you aren’t wallowing in embarrassment all alone. If not, you shouldn’t be TOO humiliated because they were by your side to stop the madness before it got out of hand. Also, it’ll be fine in the end, because they’ll be there the next morning to at least pretend you have nothing to be ashamed of and calm you down. You’ll never see those people again anyway, right?!
8. Let’s face it. In all likelihood, you and your best friends have reached a terrifying degree of comfort. Remember when your mother was the only person who was allowed to be in the room as you freely dropped all articles of clothing? That’s no longer how it is. Your best friends have seen it all. They’ve seen you in every condition imaginable, and you voluntarily disclose alarming information about yourself. “TMI” is no longer “a thing.” If your mom knew the things they know, she would disown you, no doubt. Whether your friends want to know or not, they’re going to hear about it, and it has become the new norm. Just embrace it.
9. You buy them things and you don’t expect them to pay you back. It will even out eventually, I promise.
10. While your family will always be there for you to cheer you on and love you no matter what, no one understands you the way your friends do. They’ll be the ones standing next to you in bridesmaid dresses on your wedding day, and the ones who will be at your 80th birthday party. Love and respect your friends the way you love and respect yourself, because you would simply be lost without them. Â