My Completely Irreplaceable Friends

This past week I spent time in New Jersey, saying goodbye to my friends from Seton Hall.  It ended up being one of the best weeks of my life.  Not because anything unbelievably crazy or exciting happened (although, okay, getting on the Dr. Oz Show and having a surprise party thrown for me are both pretty amazing), but more because of the time I got to spend with these inspiring people I am lucky enough to call my friends.  From my Diplo geeks, to my Alpha Phi girls, to all of the hilarious, loving people I have met along the way, each and every one of you have influenced who I am today.

I don't know how many of you will ever read this, but if you do, I want you to know: you are completely, 100%, absolutely irreplaceable.  I can never thank you enough for showing me such love and acceptance.  You all have taught me what friendship is, and that is a gift I can never repay.  It broke my heart to say goodbye on Sunday, and I can't even comprehend the next two years without you.  You guys are the shitttt, mad love <3

















So now the gravity of the trip I am about to embark upon is starting to hit me.  These people have been my support system for the past four years.  Although I did travel for three months this summer without having phone contact with them, I always knew at the end of the day I could have immediate access to email and Facebook.  The thought of having that security taken away is terrifying.  How many times in the past three months of living at home have I called Jess to ask for advice?  Or how about the numerous times Courtney has dropped everything to come give me a much-needed hug?  And there is no way I could even begin to recall all the laughs I have had every day at Seton Hall.  Once I start to add up the support from each individual person in my life, the idea of giving that up "cold turkey" becomes absolutely intimidating.  I know there will be many, many challenges over the next two years, but right now, leaving my friends seems to be the biggest one.

I would like to end my post with a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson's essay Self-Reliance:

"These roses under my window make no reference to former roses or better ones; they are for what they are; they exist with God today.  There is no time to them.  There is simply the rose; it is perfect in every moment of its existence."

In all of our lives, we should realize that we are simply ourselves, and we are perfect in just being ourselves. My friends have certainly taught me that.  :)