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Everything You Want To Say To Your Best Friend Before Graduation

Graduation

In the next week, we will begin a new journey filled with many ups and downs. It is going to suck knowing you won’t be five feet away from me to share in every wakening moment of my life. But before we part our ways and before the tears start, I needed to make sure you knew how thankful I am that you have become one of the most important people in my life. I just wanted to say thank you for dealing with my-pain-in-the-ass self for four solid years.

Starting with freshmen year, I wanted to say thanks for eating with me at the cafeteria, so I wasn’t the loner in the back corner who was shoving handfuls of fries into her mouth. For all of the embarrassing videos I have on my computer of us singing and dancing to the Spice Girls. From the first time we tried a Four Loko to the first time we threw up from Four Lokos, you were always by my side, no matter where it was. We’d wander around frat row, in hopes of being invited to a party and we’d hang out at dorm events before we knew that was ~so~ uncool.

No matter where it was, or who else was there, you were always next to me, handing me a drink and assuring me that I looked cute. From getting in trouble for drinking underage to learning that you can’t get good grades without studying, from falling for boys and being broken by boys — you were there as I entered the crazy world of college, and I couldn’t have started it without you.

Sophomore year was the best year of college, end of discussion. Thanks for being my roomie and letting me rearrange the whole room exactly the way I liked it (and letting me pick the colors and forgiving me for yelling at you when you said you wanted a yellow bedspread). Thank you for staying up late with me and letting me vent about every single boy who came to my mind. For shoving your face full of fried foods and chocolates with me, and adding onto the already freshmen fifteen. Thanks for joining the sorority I joined so we could conquer any tequila shots and beer funnels that were thrown down our throats. And for staying in with me on some nights and cuddling, watching weird documentaries and talking about everything — our dreams, our fears, and how we had so much college left to enjoy. Our lives seemed so full of possibilities, and I loved dreaming about them all with you.

Junior year was the year we started to realize that we’d become real people soon. We studied a little harder and went to the occasional office hours, but you made sure we still had time to fuck around so we don’t take anything too seriously. Shots, boys, food, gossip, sleep, and the occasional “I should get my life together, starting tomorrow,” conversation was the tune of our junior year. Thanks for making sure I stayed in before that big test, but making sure I got drunk the night after. You were the reason I didn’t fail out of school, and also the reason I was hungover every Thursday. I couldn’t have done it without you.

And now? Well, now we’re down to it. Sadly, senior year is almost over. The year where we actually needed to get our lives together or we were going to wind up living in our parents’ basements for the rest of our lives. Thank you for literally everything this year. The coffee when I needed to study, and the vodka when I needed to relax. For spending every moment with me because you know I’m going to break down hysterically when we have to graduate. Thank you for encouraging me to say and do things that I wanted to do since freshman year. For getting hammered with me every night and dancing at the bar with me until someone kicked us out. You pushed me out of my comfort zone and picked me up when I stumbled. Thank you for encouraging me to talk to the boy, any boy, and holding me when he broke my heart. For the late nights studying and the late nights partying, and all of the times in between when I knew you were but a text message away. Thank you for giving me the confidence I need to succeed in the real world. You gave me what a university couldn’t. You gave me memories and goals, friendship and acceptance. And for that, I will always be grateful.

This is not the end of our friendship. When we walk across the stage, there won’t be goodbyes, just “see you laters.” You’re stuck with me for life. No matter how far apart we are you will always be my ride-or-die bitch, my go-to dance partner, and my favorite cuddle buddy. No matter where life takes us or what the future holds, you will always, always be my best friend.

Thank you for everything.

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EmilyGreco

Alpha Sigma Tau

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