To my first university friend,
At the beginning of our first year, I walked into my classes nervous about making new friends, as many of mine had moved away for school. Not long after, though, we met, and at first, you became the girl who always saved me a seat. However, you quickly turned into one of my best friends.
First-year was filled with a lot of emotions. I felt as though I was being thrown into the deep end of a new environment. Facing it on my own scared me, but I never did because we went through it together — and this is where I’m thankful that you are actually a lifeguard because I know you wouldn’t ever let me drown, both metaphorically and literally.
You gave me a friend when I needed one most. Starting university came with its own set of unique challenges. But I remember all of the times we teamed up for our assignments, edited each others’ work and ran around campus after class together. We would talk too much in class and laugh way too loud in the halls, which always made me feel like I’ve known you since we were kids.
Many people often ask us if we are friends from high school, and they all have the same shocked reaction when we say we had only met at the beginning of our first year. To me, you became someone who provides comfort; you are my confidant, a person I could undoubtedly count on.
Over the years, you always had my back, and I will always have yours.
To be fair, I don’t know where I would be in life if we hadn’t met. You make my life so much brighter as your everlasting positivity and optimism constantly push back against my glass-half-empty mentality. You tend to see the good in everything, which has rubbed off on me as I find myself thinking that I should be more like you.
Although we aren’t typically the types of people to show the utmost emotion towards each other, I just want you to know that I couldn’t have made it through these past four years without you.
I am so excited to walk across the stage at graduation and tell you that we made it. Those young girls who were confused about life and their careers are now all grown up.
Four years ago, you gave me the thing I needed most, a friend, and I couldn’t be more grateful.
Love,
Rachel