Love comes to us in many forms, and while much focus is placed on the romantic kind, one of my favorites is female friendships. I’m incredibly grateful to have experienced this magic firsthand over the years and the power it holds.
It starts small, almost unnoticed– like building castles together with your favorite crayons in kindergarten art class, and blossoms into no-sleep sleepovers, giggling about boys, and staying up talking about everything you’ll be when you grow up. It grows into late-night study sessions and even later conversations about life with dreams that seem so big, yet so real in the warmth of your dorm room lamp. It evolves into learning how to do your taxes, navigating the highs and lows of careers and relationships, and figuring out who you are in the glow of long-distance FaceTime calls.
The women I’ve crossed paths with in each phase of my life have helped shape who I am today by teaching me, challenging me, and constantly inspiring me. These friendships transcend place and time– whether it was middle school hallways, college classrooms, or office corridors, these connections have endured, evolving just as much as we have.
From a young age, society teaches us to compete with one another, creating the false belief that there’s not enough room for us all to succeed. Pop culture often portrays female friendships as driven by rivalry and betrayal, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. I asked the women in my life how they felt about their girlfriends, and each spoke of feeling empowered, validated, and celebrated. The light moments– dance parties in the living room, getting ready with music blasting, or laughing until you can’t breathe– are priceless, but these bonds run much deeper. They’re also the 3 a.m. phone calls when you feel like too much, the unspoken understanding when words fail, and the unwavering support that always feels like coming home.
In a world where we’re often taught that love must be earned or deserved, my friendships with other women serve as a reminder that true unconditional love doesn’t need to be earned– it simply is.
As the saying goes, some people will love us no matter what we do, and some people will not, no matter what we do; it’s important to follow the love. There’s something truly special about these friendships that aren’t built on expectations but on the uncomplicated act of showing up for each other.
With college coming to an end for many of us, the uncertainty of what lies ahead can feel daunting. Luckily, the friendships we’ve built will continue to grow and evolve, and we will never run out of people to connect with– each new chapter of life brings fresh opportunities to form meaningful relationships. Through every change and experience, the strength of these bonds will remain, reminding us that we are always supported and never truly alone. Ultimately, it’s the relationships we nurture that make all the difference, wherever life leads us.