It’s the beginning of Fall semester which means it’s time to say goodbye to summer and your friends. Whether it’s your first time having to do this, or if you’ve done it before, it is something that never gets easier. Not being around the people you’ve constantly been around your whole life is both sad and scary.
I’ve grown up my whole life in Tampa, so going to USF wasn’t a big change for me. However, even now as a senior, it still breaks my heart every time my friends go back to college during the Fall. Even though I’m still home, the people I’m used to having home, are no longer here.
I’ve always been the type of person who constantly wants to be around her friends, and it can feel super lonely when they’re not at USF with me. Every year I take the goodbye really badly, even if they’re just a few hours from me and even if they’ll be back super soon. It doesn’t matter because, to me, my friends are gone and I’m still here.
However, I know deep down that nothing is going to change in our time apart. I don’t know if it’s a fear of your friends forgetting you or if it’s just the loneliness at home, but your friends are still there even if they’re physically not.
I’ve learned that Facetime is my best friend when it comes to missing them. I will tell my friends everything that happens as if they’re still here, and they’ll tell me everything even if I have no clue who or what they’re talking about. Just because you guys are at different schools, it doesn’t mean that you guys can’t be heavily involved in each other’s life.
It’s so important to keep each other close and still be there for them as much as you can. Remember to check in on each other frequently and to plan specific times when you guys can catch up. Nothing will feel different because nothing is different!
I know your friends aren’t going to forget you, silly. It’s okay to miss them and it’s okay to admit that you miss them. You’ll see them soon and when you do it’s going to feel like they never left. I hope that everyone who misses their friends knows that it’s all going to be okay- they miss you just as much too I promise.