A Dairy Queen Cookie Dough Ice Cream Cake-- to end the night. The cold, thick cake was a symbol of another year of life in my family. This year was celebrated alongside my closest friends, the same ones as the previous four years. Although tonight was similar to every other weekend, dancing around singing to old hits, tonight I truly realized the importance of my friends.

As I reflected on the night, I recognized my greatest accomplishment in 17 years: finding such amazing friends. They were there to celebrate life's most important nights, like my birthday, and the trials that life dealt us. I was able to scream “I Love It” by Icona Pop one moment and drive with them listening to “Stay With Me” by Sam Smith. 

As the night went on and I was comforted by the thought of being together, I had a pit in my stomach knowing that we would all be leaving each other soon. In a few short months, that would likely fly by, I would find myself in a foreign town without my safety blankets and lacking the comfort I feel in Hartland, Wisconsin. The 15-minute drive through the town of Oconomowoc to get to Alena’s would now become hours through big cities. 

Best friends aren’t unique to my friends and I, and although we will be moving away soon, I know they are all only one quick call away. I am also comforted by the thought that my friends will find new friends and get to share the same bond in their new towns.

By the end of the night the hollow pit in my stomach is full as I learn to take advantage of the time we can share together. I am content knowing that we will all find new friends in our new towns, but we will all maintain a special bond within our hometown friend group. I will continue to make the most of the final laughs we will share together in Hartland before we head our separate ways 

Dairy Queen Ice Cream Cake is a symbol of love in my family. But, Hartland, Wisconsin is a symbol of love in my friendships.