Last year, I met one of my best friends through a random roommate. However, this year she is currently living in Indianapolis and attending Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), and while I am so happy that she loves her new school and the program she is in, I miss her every day. When she moved back home to Indiana, I was worried I would never get to see her again and the friendship we had formed the past couple of months would end. Fortunately, we still communicate and I still consider her one of my best friends.
It’s extremely difficult to go from living in the same room with someone and seeing them every day, to them living one state away and only being able to see them through the phone. One way we stay connected is through FaceTime. Several times each week we will either call or FaceTime each other and even though we both have super busy schedules, taking time out of our day to catch up really helps. We also still send each other funny Instagram and Twitter posts that remind us of our inside jokes and the things we experienced together.
This experience has also taught me things about wishing the best for other people, even when it’s not the best for you. Last week, I was able to visit her in her new apartment and see her new college. There was a lot of things that had changed about her since the last time I had seen her, including a new hair color. But the thing that had changed the most about her was her confidence and happiness. She actually had her life together; she was living in a nice apartment, eating healthy, and taking classes she enjoyed. Seeing her thriving and loving her new school made me extremely happy. While she had loved Ohio University, at the time she did not like her major, was struggling with classes and was dealing with a lot of personal stress. Once I saw her in her new living situation, I was so happy for her, and besides missing her every single day and wishing she would come back to Athens, I know this is the place she belongs. Being able to see her happy helped me accept that Indiana is where she belongs.
Even though I miss her every day, I cannot be more proud of the things she has accomplished and I am so glad I met my best friend in Gamertsfelder Hall, room 376.