With the start of Women’s History Month and the passing of International Women’s Day, I realized how much I truly love girls and love being a girl.
 Whenever I see a group of older women talking to each other and laughing, I feel as if I am seeing a reflection of myself and my friends a few decades from now. I love it when my grandmother refers to her friends as her “girlfriends,” a sweet sentiment, and I wish that way of phrasing were still normalized today.
The thought of looking back on my life experiences with the girls who know me the best already feels bittersweet. Even though I am dreading the day our paths eventually diverge, I will forever be grateful to think of my favorite things with them, and about them.
At this age, I think one of the best things to do is get ready, listen to music, and take pictures with the girls. The screams and giggles after getting THE picture truly can’t be topped. Being so excited to capture another woman’s beauty just as you see her is always so rewarding. Taking turns passing the camera back and forth, making sure to get her best angle, and hyping her up after each take.
I hate the moment when I am talking to a guy and realizing that he has never experienced a sleepover. In my head, that’s a core memory of childhood, and the thought of someone not getting to have those moments breaks my heart just a little bit.
I think it’s just always been normalized for girls, sharing a bed, staying up late at night giggling and telling secrets as a kid, or lying next to your best friend, comforting her through grief as you grow.
I couldn’t imagine not being comfortable showing affection to my friends. I’m also grateful to have grown up with girls who have never been shy to express our love and friendship. I love holding hands with them, sharing food and drinks, and practicing a new hairstyle on the other.
There’s something so comforting about getting ready for the day, looking in the mirror, and seeing your girls while doing their skincare. Simply just enjoying being in each other’s presence. Offering tips or suggestions when they ask which shirt goes better with which jeans.
Moments that mean so little while they happen, but add up to some of the most fond memories.
Moments as simple as sharing books with each other and writing in the margins. Folding corners over on specific pages of poetry that remind you of them.
 Working out together, pushing them to get one more rep in, to keep going for another ten minutes. Making the machine, they were nervous to try, just a little less intimidating. Sharing clothes and jewelry, teaching them new games, or convincing them to order late-night food with you, really just to spend more time together.
Never letting your friends leave alone.
This past weekend, I realized that boys don’t follow the buddy system as strictly as girls. In crowded spaces, girls are always interlinked, following the classic train technique, one fearless leader in the front, the rest following close. It’s waiting outside the stall while your friends are in the bathroom, refusing to leave until everyone is together.
Always reminding each other to turn your location on when you guys part for the night.
It’s planning a life together. Joking about having houses right next to the other, or in the same city, only a few minutes apart. Getting matching tattoos resembling an inside joke.
It’s showing up for each other in everything they do. Sitting front row at their dance show, reposting a story they wrote, or a dessert they made. Being their number one fan, and showing gentle ways to love and appreciate all parts of them.
I’ve realized each of the girl friendships I’ve had have each taught me something different. Inspired me in some way to be better. To love harder. To always take care of each other. That there is truly something unique inside female friendships.
It’s all about figuring out all the hard and scary together. Celebrating each other’s growth or wins and loving them inside and out. All of the moments, good and bad. All of those memories that I will look back on, years from now, remembering that we were girls together.