For my 19th birthday, I knew I had wanted to celebrate with my college friends. Growing up, most of my birthdays were hosted and spent with family. It wasn't until late high school and during college where I was able to take initiative and celebrate with my friends for a day and when that happened I made a lot of sweet memories with friends.

For instance, one of my earliest memories I can think of where I got to plan out what to do was Junior year of high school where me and my friends did an Escape Room and went to a fancy Italian restaurant after. It was memories like these that will always make looking back at old times feeling bittersweet.

So because of how uncommon it was for me to celebrate my birthday with friends growing up, it was a really sweet moment when my friends bought me cake for my 19th birthday as a surprise with a funny phrase on it spelled out in M & M's. In addition to this, they had also given me a shirt with funny/ridiculous photos of myself printed out on it and arranged into the shape of a heart. What can I say - I have very entertaining friends LOL

But, beyond the goofy exterior of these two gifts, they both resonated with me deeply as a gesture of love and care from my college friends, one on the day celebrating a further turning point into my adulthood, something I'll remember for a while.

It's actions and thoughts like this I recieve from them and other friends that constantly remind me of the positive support system I have during college.