Look at your friends, look how they shine for you

Having a best friend that knows you inside and out is such a wholesome feeling. Someone that relates to you and understands certain aspects of yourself and what you’re thinking by just an expression on your face. Bloomsburg has given me many friends and a place to call home, but one person in particular has been there for me through some of the hardest times of my life. Someone who I can unapologetically be myself around while knowing she’ll be in my life forever.

Morgan was a transfer student from New Jersey. She came to Bloomsburg as a sophomore, so she was starting all over again, which was a feeling I once experienced. She was the first one I met out of our entire friend group, and we instantly clicked as if I knew her my entire life. I soon found out she lived right across the street from me, so I went over to her apartment almost every day. 

Over the next few months, we started bonding over similar interests we shared, music being a big one of them. To this day, we make it a habit to play the music we love together when we go on long car rides, our favorite being “Yellow” by Coldplay. Listening to this song has become something that instantly reminds me of Morgan, a feeling of warmth and comfort in knowing I could always count on her.

Morgan is a big part of shaping me into the person I am today. Before the pandemic first started, I was really going through a tough time in my life, which led to me taking off a semester from school. Throughout that first half of that semester, I watched from home as my friends continued on with their lives, before being sent home right about the time spring break was over. 

This is when everything with COVID-19 hit, and what we thought was going to be an extended spring break, turned out we would be staying home for months. This was one of the biggest changes that could have happened right before our senior year. Now in our final and last spring semester, things are finally starting to feel like they used to.

The pandemic had a huge impact on everyone, not just college students, but all around the world. It’s hard to imagine getting through this big change without the support of my closest friends and family, such as Morgan. Even though at the time I was technically not in school, I was still supporting my friends that found out their school year abruptly ended. 

Since Morgan lived over two hours away from me, we stayed in touch by FaceTiming on the weekends, anticipating the next time we would be able to see each other in person. Morgan and I are roommates now in our final year. I’m so thankful I decided to continue my education back at Bloomsburg, and be able to graduate with someone who is so close to my heart.

— 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