I Didn't Find My "Forever BFF" Until College, But That's What Makes Our Friendship So Great
I have always been terrible at keeping friends, but once I got to college, that changed. One of the first friends I made became the friend who stuck around through it all. And now, two years after we graduated, we've remained the best of friends. I didn't find my forever friend until college, but she was totally worth the wait.
I always admired my friends who had friendships with people they've known since they were little, and whenever I watched Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, I felt a little pang of jealousy because I thought that that closeness was something I would never experience. But when I met my best friend Lexi in my first class of college (which was 9 a.m. on a Monday, no less), I knew that we were going to be in it together for the long haul. She was just as loud as me — if not louder — and though we were both outgoing, we somehow never competed.
Over the past five years that we've known each other, she has become family. And even though it took me more than 18 years to find her, I finally have a forever friend.
Meeting in college meant that we were ready to build lasting relationships.
I think that part of what made our friendship so great from the beginning was that we were in college. Even though we were still trying to get a hang of this new lifestyle, we were mature enough to know the important qualities we were looking for in a friend.
We naturally gravitated toward each other because our personalities are scarily similar. However, as we got closer, we figured out a balance of how we gelled together as friends, and discovered how different we actually are.
She's definitely more outgoing than me; I'm usually the most outgoing person in a room, but she outdoes me by miles. (It also helps that her voice is a lot louder than mine.) But, that means that when I'm with her, I can be a little more introverted. Both of us love talking, but we're also really great at listening to each other.
She is unbelievably supportive and always there when I need her.
I feel like I've seen so much mental, emotional, professional, and personal growth in myself since I started college, and Lexi has been there with me every step of the way. She has seen me at my lowest lows, she gives me pep talks when I need them, and she's always one of the first people to celebrate my highs with me.
She is also the first person to drop what she's doing or cancel her own plans if it means that she can help me with something. I go to a lot of events as a writer, but I was really intimidated to go to my first star-studded affair in Los Angeles. I called Lexi the day before and asked her if she would be my plus one, because I needed one, so she cancelled her plans and immediately went out and bought a dress for the occasion.
Honestly, I'm constantly amazed at how much this girl does for me. When I go over to her place (which is conveniently located a 15-minute drive away from mine), she cooks for me and shares her snacks. When I go out of town, she lets all of my packages and mail get delivered to her place. (I have a shelf in her storage closet reserved for me.) She even comes to meet me somewhere if I find a cool spot and need a camerawoman. (I'm not kidding — this has happened before.)
Not only is she an amazing friend, but we also share our love for music and singing.
Some friends meet each other through sports teams or summer camp, but Lexi and I met each other because we both had the same idea to go to music school.
We've sang in many groups together, have been on gigs together, and regularly recommend each other for jobs. We gladly accept constructive criticism from the other person, because we admire and respect the each other's craft. We know that the other person only wants us to succeed.
I'm so grateful that she's in my life, and I couldn't ask for a better forever friend.
I am so grateful to have finally found my forever friend. She is a queen who is an amazingly supportive friend, and there's no one else I'd rather spend my time with.
