To The Unexpected Friendships

Picture this. You are sitting on the living room floor, watching the college football championship, writing this in the presence of 18 of your friends. You realize you did not know these people at the beginning of the year. Yet, they became so important to you in just five months. You are dumbfounded, but feel so blessed to have met these people.

Oh hey, this is me. I am sitting in the middle of everyone, moving my focus from the TV to my computer. I look around when Ohio State or Alabama scores. The screaming, the betting, the smiles that come out of everyone creates a mix of emotions in me. I feel happiness, gratefulness, joy, and a little bit of confusion. These are all people I only knew of at the beginning of the year. Not necessarily people I would go out of my way to talk to every day. I do not know why, but I was assuming I was not going to gain super close friends this year. There was a feeling that I was just going to stick with my close group I found from freshman year. I guess that was five months ago, little did I know. Today, I do go out of my way to see these people. Say hi to them on the way to class. Make plans to go workout at the field with them. Have watch parties for the championship game and the bachelor.

They say the best relationships you have are ones that come by accident, but is accident the right word to use? Did God not specifically place those people in your life at the exact right moment in time? I will go to the end of the earth to say He did. Maybe instead of an accident we’ll say surprise. The best things in life come as a surprise. Now that I can stand by.

I am constantly asked why and how I am always smiling or laughing. My answer was usually along the lines of, “I don’t know, it just kind of happens.” The last time I was asked this was just last week. The question had caught me off guard. I stood there and looked at the friend who asked me and said, “Because of you.” Whatever is going on in your life, friends always make it better. Wow, you should see my face right now. That was maybe the cheesiest thing I have ever written. But seriously. Just today, I woke up in a bad mood. I had no energy, no motivation to get out of bed, feeling like there was no purpose today. Now here come the roommates telling me that we are going on an adventure. Fine, I do not like saying no. I left the dorm frowning, not involved in the conversation. I came back to the dorms smiling, laughing, energetic, and thankful.

There is a big appreciation for finding “my people.” The people who know me best. Those who know me at my high and at my low. The ones who have seen me basically cry a river, but also have seen me laugh and fall out of my chair.

The ones who make me do my ugly laugh to the point where I look like a seal. The ones who aren’t manipulative. These are the people who truly make you a better person. The ones who accept you for who you truly are. There is no judgement. These are the people who randomly text you over break to check in on you. The ones who text you to join them for mass. These are the people I want to be when I grow up.

This semester brings so much mystery. Given, no one ever knows what the next day is going to hold. But everything is up in the air for the next five months. First semester was all about getting to know these incredible people. Second? Of course we are going to continue getting to know each other, but what else is it going to bring? Will it bring more bachelor watch party nights? Last minute adventures? What about late night talks? Mystery. Mystery. Mystery. I am here for it. Life throws so much at you. Five months ago I would be scared not knowing what life would bring. Now? Now I say, “Bring it on.” I have an army of people behind me. So, life, throw everything you have at me. These people will not let me down.

I do not know what is going on in your life right now. Maybe you are having friend troubles. Maybe you are homesick at school and only want to talk to your parents. You may feel like you have to act like everything is ok, when it is actually not. I am here to tell you, you are not alone. Take a

deep breath. Look around, find the good people around you. Lean on these unexpected relationships. You are so loved.

Stay golden,

M