It’s right here, don’t waste it

It didn’t happen right away for me in college, but it eventually did. Meeting those forever friends is one of those precious college checklist items. It can be frustrating and depressing when it doesn’t happen early or even at all your freshman year. Rest assured it will — especially in a place like Bloomsburg.

For me it was the start of my sophomore year. I met four girls who I didn’t know at the time would change my life forever. They would go on to become my best friends. We’ve lived together for the next two years. We’ve laughed together. We’ve fought. We’ve made up, and we’ve cried. But best of all we’ve been together for it all, and soon we’ll graduate college together.

It feels so surreal to have met these four coming in to college feeling so lost to now having such a strong connection to these girls who were once strangers. Morgan, Leah, Kelly, Olivia … thank you for giving me a great college friendship experience.

Leah comes from Williamsport, a city famously known for the Little League World Series, which is a little over a two-hour drive from me. I remember first meeting her and instantly connecting with her bubbly personality and ability to make anyone laugh.

At the time she lived at Glenside apartments downtown, which was a far walk from where I lived in Soltz Hall on campus. That did not stop us from hanging out almost every day. Leah was always ready to pick me up, listen to our favorite song “Better Not” by Louis The Child and drive to Panera for lunch.

I could also relate to Leah in a lot of aspects just from the first few months of knowing her. She understood me and my struggles and was always there to lift me up when I was in a funk. She would reassure me that balancing life issues and college at the same time is not always easy.

Leah is two years older than me, so I’ve always looked up to her in a big sister aspect. She’s a social work major, so her compassion for wanting to help people in need showed every day, having one of the biggest hearts out of anyone I’ve ever met.

A specific memory that sticks out when I think of Leah was when we went to the beach together over summer of 2020. We booked an Airbnb for a few days in New Jersey and spent those days soaking up the sun. When I think of my happy place, the beach immediately comes to mind. What better way to spend it with one of your favorite people?

I felt like we picked up from where we left off, as if we never were apart from one another. In high school you think you have your group of friends who’ll always be in your life — but the truth is — it’s okay to outgrow them. You lose touch with them in your first year of college, and maybe you go home and see them over break. Meeting your college friends is like a breath of fresh air though.

I was scared to open up to new girls such as Leah, but her unconditional support and my trust in her just keeps growing every day. This semester, Leah decided to move out on her own. She thought we would be upset or that it meant we would see less of her. Just the opposite. Her decision was best for her and her mental health, and if anything, it only made us happier for her. I still take time to reach out and call her to see how she’s doing, and I know when it comes time for graduation, she’ll be right by my side telling me that, “We did it!” Leah has been there for me through thick and thin, and it’s the same for me with her.

A lesson I learned as I’ve grown throughout my college years is that you have to prioritize yourself. Setting boundaries and knowing your limit is important in college, because things take a huge shift and are not always easy. You have to know when you’re balancing too much — school, friendships, work, and just in general life, and everyday problems we might have.

That’s why when Leah decided it was time to part ways with Bloomsburg, she was prioritizing mental health, even though it was a decision that involved us too in the roommate perspective. Despite the fact we had to find someone new for our lease, our friendship and support for Leah came first. Mental health is something that should always be taken seriously, no matter the circumstances.

— Sarah O'Leary, a senior communication studies major with an emphasis on interpersonal communication, is interning with the Office of Marketing and Communications this spring. She is a native of Scranton and is an avid Harry Styles fan.

#BloomOnward #HuskyLife