My Family of Friends

This week my little brother went up to Bemidji to register for his first year of college. As I drove the familiar roads to my of favorite places in the world, I was over-whelmed with memories of my time there. My family has vacations up near that area for many years and Bemidji State University of my top pick of schools when I graduated.

For me high school was just okay, it wasn't bad but it wasn't the best years of my life like many people claim. I was excited to go off to college. It was a time to prove to myself and other people in my life that I had grown up and could start to do things on my own. Bemidji was far enough away from the Twin Cities that I couldn't come running home each weekend, but close enough that I could come home when I wanted.

Leaving home and living on my own for the first time in my life was a scary yet exhilarating experience. As many of you know, I am very close to my mom and depend on her support and inspiration. But, I was very lucky to meet a group of girls who became my support as well as my life long friends...we dubbed ourselves "The Herd."

These eight girls became my family. They became the people I turned too with my immediate family 300 miles away. They were with me through one of my most important years of my life. They were with me through tears, frustration and doubts about my abilities to make it through my freshmen year of college. Most importantly they were with me throughout the year that shaped me to become the person I am today.

My best memories from that year involve these girls. Midnight swimming in Lake Bemidji, going out Friday and Saturday nights, tequila rollerblading through Bemidji, meeting all the cute college boys, eating at Perkins at one o'clock in the morning, hanging (partying) out in the dorms, our Spring Break trip to Canada, road trips to Grand Forks, Fargo and St. Cloud, midnight trips to WalMart, keggers out in the middle of nowhere.

There girls became my life long friends. We are now spread throughout Minnesota, North Dakota and Wisconsin. We do not get to see each other every often, but when we do we fall right back into our friendships. I know each and everyone of them would be there if I needed them to be. And I would do the same for them. Long live "The Herd."