After a month away from my home, I am beyond ready to be back here at Wake Forest University. As sarcastic as that may sound, I can promise you that it is 100% sincere. My time at home in upstate New York was a lovely reprieve from chemistry classes and prolonged sleep deprivation, but going four long weeks without the people I love the most was more difficult than I ever imagined. I have always heard people say your freshman year friendships can take many routes, leading to either total separation or a tight bond that lasts for years, and (possibly naively) I truly believe these friendships I have are forever.
As someone who speaks sarcasm fluently, I have great difficulty in seriously expressing my appreciation for people. Sappy isn’t a word I would use to describe myself, but I am a strong believer that the important people in my life deserve to know how much I love them. If any of you are reading this, enjoy it, I’m not sure if you’ll ever experience such heartfelt sentiments from me ever again.
Since arriving at college, I have noticed there are times when I feel overcome by this mix of serenity and happiness while I’m around specific people. These people happen to be the ones I have found myself lucky enough to call my best friends. When I was in high school, I frequently bounced from friend group to friend group, never quite feeling at home within any crowd. Was I still happy? Yes. But was I in love with my friends? No, never quite in the way that I am now.
College truly is the time to surround yourself with the people who accept you for who you are. These four years are exactly what you make of them. The people around you, the effort you put into your work, and the attitude you maintain. However, having a core group of loving and supportive individuals makes it much easier to uphold a high quality work ethic and a positive outlook. If you feel as though you haven’t found your people yet, don’t fret. You’ll find them right when you least expect it.
Wikipedia defines the word soulmate as, “a person with whom one has a feeling of deep or natural affinity.” Some believe this term only applies to a romantic partner, but I disagree. I believe friendly love is the most important kind you will ever have, other than self-love. Soulmates are the people you can drift from for any amount of time then pick up a conversation as if no time has passed. Soulmates are the people who make life more colorful and brighten even the sourest days imaginable. Soulmates are the people who make life worth living.
No matter how the next three years play out, I know that my freshman friends will always hold a very special place in my heart. I have never felt more fortunate to have such a devoted and encouraging group of friends in my life. You guys are my family and I love you all more than you will ever understand.
So lastly, here’s a reminder: never forget to tell the ones you love most just how important they are to you.