In my first year, I had to make new friends for the first time in my life. And I am not kidding. I went to the same school as my two best friends for 13 years, so I never really had to forge out into the friendship seas by myself. I always had them to help me meet people and learn to love new people.
When I moved across the country without either of them, I was frightened and exhilarated. I got to be anyone I wanted without my friends there exposing all my secrets. I got to be a new friend who people discovered for themselves.
My first friend was my roommate, Niki. We drifted apart, but I certainly owe a lot to her. Without her, I would be eating meals by myself. She helped me to make friends with others and break out of my introvert shell.
One of my first memories of Niki is from the first night we moved in. We talked about the basics of our lives and showed each other pictures of those we loved back home. I was discovering a new person. I will always cherish that memory as the scariest and most thrilling night of the beginning of this journey.
Thinking about how I met my now best friends is like watching the beginning of a very familiar movie. Beginnings aren’t always exciting, but they are important. And I’ve learned that fate has an interesting effect on those beginnings we so often overlook.
In the first hall meeting, a sheet went around for us to put our names, our birthdays and our favorite candies on. I was one of the last people to get the sheet. As I scanned all the names and candies, I thought, “My future best friend could be in this very room.” Then one name caught my attention. Chelsea’s name was written in big loopy handwriting and her favorite candy was gummy bears, just like mine. I knew I had to meet her, and what do you know, I did. She is now one of my best friends.
My neighbor and future roommate, Kait, joined us shortly later to make an incredible friendship. Together we laugh, get mad and do all the things friends should do.
Along with Kait, Chelsea and Chelsea’s roommate, Laura, and her two friends, Jamie and Eugenia, we formed a good group of friends.
This past weekend I went to Chelsea’s with Kait. The three of us looked forward to meeting and seeing everything about Chelsea’s life that makes her who she is. One of her friends was surprised we knew so much about her life. But that’s what friends are. They know everything about you, and like you anyway.
We have also found it easier to talk freely about things in our lives. I told Chelsea and Kait that because my friends from home come from nearly identical backgrounds as me and I grew up with them, I never get to hear their life stories in their own words. I love hearing stories about Chelsea’s and Kait’s families, friends and memories from life because that is my way of learning about who they are.
So my social life wasn’t as cliché as a college comedy flick because I only went to three parties, but I don’t care.
The friends I made helped me to have a great first year. They taught me a lot about myself, but more importantly they shared their lives with me, and I am so grateful.
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