Everyone talks about how hard junior year is. Taking college classes is challenging, learning about chemical compounds is difficult, and balancing out sports and school is also hard. One thing that doesn’t seem to get talked about as much is how hard it is when your upperclassmen friends leave for college.

It’s hard to see their posts of them living their college lives and making new friends. As exciting as it is to see them enjoying this new chapter of their lives, it’s also common to feel like you’ve been left behind, and you’re living in their past lives.

During my sophomore year, I spent almost every spare second of time with the older girls from my swim team who became my best friends. The thought of them leaving for college always lingered in my mind but felt so far away. When they left and we said our goodbyes, it still didn’t feel real. Reality didn’t set in until swim season started, and they weren’t there or when I needed someone to walk with me to class. It made me realize how our bond became more of a sisterhood. It was always nice to have someone to talk to about a hard assignment to, or cry to about a bad day. They always knew what to say and the comfort of knowing they have been in my shoes before was reassuring.

Now that I am at the age they were when we first met, it’s my turn to become a mentor for underclassmen and create the same sense of sisterhood that was shared with me. I have already created bonds with younger girls on both my swim and golf teams. The feeling is bittersweet knowing that I am now one of the upperclassmen there to be there for others.

As sad as it is to know that they aren’t a 10-minute drive away anymore, it’s also important to embrace change and learn to adjust. Going from seeing them every day to FaceTiming twice a week and counting down the days till they come home for Thanksgiving is odd. I would say that adjusting to the change is currently the most difficult part of my junior year but knowing that they will always be there for me, even if it’s through text or face-time is reassuring.

I will be forever grateful for the sisterhood I found in our relationship and will continue to embrace the change as it is part of the beauty of life.