The best thing about college is that you have tons of opportunities to meet new people. You can form new friendships and possibly make some new lifelong friends. However, going to college with your BFF can sometimes hinge on these opportunities. I speak from first-hand experience because one of my closest friends, *Jane* also attends my school. I knew before coming here that it was going to be tough as a transfer student balancing my old friendship with new ones. In respect to Jane, I didn’ want her to feel like I was interfering with her new life either. But at the same time, I wasn’t into the idea of completely attaching myself to her as my only means of socialization.

When you go to college with your best friend you need to respect each other’s individual lives. Your first year of school should be all about separating yourself from old friends, trying new things,  and daring to go outside of your comfort zone. In my opinion, university life is all about personal growth. Whether you go to a state school or a private college across the country, you finally have the opportunity to meet people who come from different backgrounds. If you just stick to people who you went to high school with, how will you ever grow?

Jane and I have learned how to respect boundries. In no way has going to the same school infringed on our friendship. But I think it’s because we understand that we both have separate lives, likes, and interests. Although most of our friends are mutual, I try really hard to delve outside of that bubble and reach out to meet new people whenever I can.

So what can you take away from my experience? Well, there’s definitely a sense of comfort that goes along with having someone you trust and know with you during a new and chaotic period of your life. Rather than pulling us apart, I think college made our friendship stronger. But college is about having new experiences with different people and learning from them. Don’t miss out on that opportunity! A new friendship is just as valuable as an old one that dates back to your preschool days.

— Nicole Stockdale, University of Southern California