Scared to face life after college

I have had a sinking feeling in my stomach for the past couple days, a feeling that has only grown worse, not better, with time. It's not a prolonged hangover, a case of the flu or any other illness cured by medicine. The cause of my discomfort is the sheer fact that my time here at IU is drawing to a close, and I'm not quite sure how to deal with all the emotions that come along \nwith it. \nI am relieved that for the past year, I have had the opportunity to live with my nine best friends in a cozy house on Washington Street. Not seeing those same faces every morning when I wake up will arguably be the hardest adjustment to make. Our house has been a bit of a shelter; a place where we can close out the rest of the world and remain, for a time, undisturbed -- a place where we can sit within close proximity to each other and talk rather loudly. The fact that our days are numbered in single digits has yet to really sink in. \nI am scared because as I face the future, I realize it will be a solitary endeavor. Car accidents, failed tests and break-ups have always been manageable as long as we had each other for support. I am most comfortable among my friends, as we all are, and I worry no one will ever truly know me without knowing them. \nI am anxious to see what life holds for each one of us and how we will all fare in the real world. I know I live with a group of talented, intelligent, beautiful people, and I can only hope they are recognized as such once outside of our safe haven. \nI am fortunate for the stroke of luck it took to bring us all together. Semesters abroad, living separately and summers at home had little effect on our relationships. Seeing each other for the first time after an extended period of time proves the strength of our friendship; it is often as if nothing has changed. \nMost of all, I am extremely grateful for the privilege to have met such incredible people. Joking, laughing, crying, playing games only we would find amusing, sleeping on the porch, the couch, the bars, dancing until the ceiling almost caves in, flippy-cup in the kitchen, pictures in the bathroom, trips to Village Pantry in "The Bomber," Bloomington Bagel Company on Fridays, sitting on the couch for hours for the sole purpose of entertaining each other. \nThe list is enormous; it goes on and on. \nKatie, Amie, Katie, Jami, Jennah, Jen, Leslie, Amy, Leah: You are all responsible for making these past four years into more than I could ever have imagined. I wouldn't know what the good times were without knowing the bad, and I will value them all just the same. \nI know I am going to miss each and every one of you more than you will ever know, but I sincerely hope we are never farther away than a phone call. Best wishes to you all, and thanks again for the memories.