Change your mindset!
Leaving for college terrified me — not because of the usual concerns about making friends, adjusting to the workload or navigating the countless changes in a new environment filled with unfamiliar faces. No, my fear was losing my best friends, each one now scattered across the country in a series of long-distance relationships. From Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Boston, Pennsylvania and beyond it felt like pieces of my heart were spread far and wide with them.
As I settled into college life, I found myself constantly reaching out to the same girls who knew me better than anyone andsharing every small detail of my new experiences with them. While I made new friends, it was my old friendships that deepened in ways I hadn’t anticipated. Though it might sound cliché, I began to truly appreciate the strength of a genuine connection.
I never considered myself good at long-distance relationships, often labeling myself a poor communicator. I lacked confidence in my ability to fully immerse myself in college life while still nurturing relationships from afar. Whenever I found myself in a new romantic relationship, I’d preface it with how it would just have to end by the end of the summer, whether they were leaving for school or I was. While each goodbye felt impossible, it was reaffirmed by the immediate change those relationships would face when they went to school. If we kept in contact, they spoke differently; on social media, they acted differently. Quickly, I knew I made the right decision. I developed a fear of not recognizing a person that I had grown to love, and for a while, I believed that everything was temporary.
My best friend left for college a week before me. She is the smartest person I know and, of course, she had to go all the way to Pennsylvania to prove it. Attending the University of Pennsylvania is her accomplishment that I enjoy bragging about, but I was heartbroken at the idea of our ten-minute drive becoming an eleven-hour one. The day before she left for school, we had a sleepover at her house, which was practically my second home. We made slime and watched Twilight to make fun of it, then laid in her bed and stared at the ceiling, promising each other nothing would cause a drift between us.
We have been on the phone every day since she left.
There’s something extraordinary about female friendships — the loyalty, the unwavering support, the shared love — that transcends physical distance. In them, I found the ability to maintain relationships I once thought would be impossible to sustain. These friendships have taught me that even across miles, real connections don’t weaken; they evolve, proving that distance is no match for the bond between true friends.