In the end, it is people that mean the most in life. No amount of money or successful careers could ever compete with the laughter and love felt among human beings. Exactly one year ago, my twin brother and I were in the chaotic midst of the college process, adding final touches to our applications and awaiting life-changing envelopes in the mail. Taking a break from the stress of senior year and the college application process, we decompressed and submerged ourselves in our soothing hot tub.
“Marissa, Bobby, Lisa, Chris, Molly, Tommy” we said as we relaxed in the hot tub. Don’t worry, these names mean nothing to us either. We were just making up future college friends to try to visualize what it would feel like to know people a year from now that we’ve never met before. Imagining future friends that will have an impact on us was almost impossible to fathom at the time. Even then, we understood that ultimately, it would be the people we surround ourselves with that would make our college experience memorable.
A year later, we immersed ourselves back in that hot tub and laughed at all the fake names we came up with just last year. “Brandon, Alexia, Maria, Aran, Kerry, Alek, Katharine.” These are just a few of our ACTUAL friends we’ve made this semester. Ultimately, these people got us through our fall semester. No matter where you end up and what classes you take, it is the friends you will make that will be the most meaningful in the scheme of things. It’s important to have a good balance between academics and a social life; this balance is crucial to surviving college, and a good network of friends is essential for this to happen.
While homesickness is unavoidable in college, making friends creates a second family that will love and support you like your own family. As I come home for Christmas this year, I am returning a more humble and appreciative person. My family, hometown friends, and new college friends have taught me that nothing else matters as much as them. Like most other kids (I’m 18, but haven’t gotten around to calling myself an adult yet), I used to look forward to Christmas all year long. I envisioned that moment when I’m anxiously tearing apart my first present under the tree. During my first semester in college, however, I never thought about presents. In fact, I barely thought about Christmas morning at all. What got me through finals and my last couple of weeks before break was the thought of seeing the people that mean so much to me. Hugging my best friend from home, cherishing the time with my family, and the feeling of being home are the best presents.
So seniors out there, appreciate who you are surrounded by this holiday season because a lot of things are going to happen in the upcoming year. Cherish the normality you are feeling because from this point forward, you will learn to love the normalness of home. In your spare time during Christmas break, ponder about all the new friends you will make in college and try to envision the happiness they will bring to you. Maybe even make up a few fake names to laugh about a year from now like my brother and I embarrassingly did.