Friends

Before I start this post, today is a very special day. 

It's my Blogiversary! Sweet Home SB is officially 1 year old. 

I want to say a big thank you to everyone who might stumble upon this post today. If you're a reader, thank you for taking the time to visit this little space. There are a handful of you that I feel as though I've really formed some friendships with over the past year. I hope that number grows. I hope that you comment to make yourself known, but if not, say hi now! I would love to get to know all of you out there in Blogland. 

And if you're a Blogger that I'm following {or secretly stalking, I'm sure there's a few} thank you for taking the time to post your words and thoughts on this here inter-web. Thank you for sharing your ups, and your downs. For sharing stories that make me laugh out loud in my cubicle {no, I never read at work}. And for sharing your insecurities that tell me that I'm not the only one who's not perfect. 

Shocking, I know. 

This past year has flown by, and I am so glad that I had this space to document it. I started this blog as a new grad, making my way into the working world. {Find my first post here}

What have I learned in the last year? I've learned that I will always be happy as long as I have one thing:

friends.

You know the best part about that? This year, I really learned that I can make friends where ever I go. 

It might sound optimistic, and I'm sure it won't always be as easy as it is now {living in Santa Barbara where this place is full of people my age}. But really, after this year out of college, I am confident that when the time comes to leave this beautiful place, I will be just fine. 

Growing up, you are thrown into school where you are almost forced to meet tons of people your age. You talk in your classes, in between classes, do homework together. And somewhere  during that time, you form some real friendships. You start hanging out outside of school. And voila! You have yourself friends. It's a magical thing. 

And then college comes, and BAM, you get to live with these friends. You get to navigate through life for your first time "on your own." You can hang out as late as you want, because there's no one calling you telling you to come home. You get to stay up late studying for a test, because you spent the last few months not studying for said test. 

You form friendships. 

And then you graduate, and there's no longer a giant pool of people you're age to pick from. There will never again be that first day of school, where everyone is in the same boat, searching for somewhere to fit in. 

It doesn't appear as easy to "make friends." Something that might not have taken effort before, now does. 

So what do you do? 

You know that saying, you have to be a friend to have a friend? Or, something like that. I've learned that that statement is so true.  

In order to make connections, form relationships, you have to put yourself out there. It's easy to think hey, I'm talking to this girl in a gym locker room. I'll never see her again. But what if that thought is completely off, what if this girl could become your friend? 

It might sound silly, or trivial, but I want to write it down for me. I want to write it down to remind myself, that putting yourself out there can pay off. Wearing a smile, being friendly and asking questions can be all that it takes to start a friendship. 

Friends have always been important to me, but this year further taught me how happy my friendships make me. And learning that I can make friends in all sorts of social settings has given me confidence to know that no matter where this life takes me, I'll be one happy girl.