Today’s a beautiful sunny Sunday, and yet… my mind feels anything but quiet.
I woke up with a thousand thoughts swirling from budgeting and packing, to planning for my upcoming MBA journey at IBU in Toronto. Every day brings me one step closer to this new chapter, and while I’m beyond grateful and excited… whew, it’s a lot to think about.
I’m preparing for school, for life in a new country, for dreams I once only whispered to myself. But in the middle of all these to-dos, a part of my heart drifts to a different time one that doesn’t live in the future, but in my memory.
🎮 The Good Old Days: From Chickenjoy to Counter Strike
It’s funny how the smallest things can trigger the biggest waves of nostalgia.
Today, I found myself missing my college friends so much.
Not just the faces but the whole vibe of it all.
Back then, after classes, our favorite ritual was heading straight to Jollibee.
We’d order the usual, laugh over crispy fries and Chickenjoy, then excitedly rush to the internet café. 🎮
Our game? Counter Strike. Sometimes Special Force.
I can still hear the clicks of the mouse, the yelling over who shot who, the dizziness I felt after hours of playing but still pushed through because… those were our moments.
Then, the most important part the chatting sessions.
We’d talk about life, love, stress, dreams, and memes.
Those casual convos? Priceless.
🏖️ Beach Nights, Penoy Henyo, and the Best Kind of Bonding
But it wasn’t just in cafes or computer shops.
Oh, how I miss those beach bonding days. 🏝️
Sunset slowly melting into the sea, our laughter louder than the waves.
We’d sit in a circle, drink in hand, playing UNO cards and Penoy Henyo like we were on a no-budget TV game show. 😄
Then came the KTV nights the ultimate soul release. 🎤
Even the shyest among us would grab the mic, singing heartbreak songs or dance anthems like divas on a world tour.
It didn’t matter who could carry a tune what mattered was we were together.
Those were the nights we weren’t just catching up on life.
We were living it, together.
✈️ When They Started Leaving Dreams Abroad and New Chapters
Time moved on, and so did the people I love.
I still remember the day Monique flew to Japan brave, determined, full of hope. She was chasing growth, independence, and everything life had to offer. I was proud, but a piece of my heart quietly cracked.
Then came wedding bells.
Fritz, Roj, and Clarice all celebrated love with ceremonies full of joy. We cheered, danced, laughed… and slowly, the invites stopped coming. Schedules clashed. Meetups became rare.
Now? It’s mostly likes, heart reacts, and stories viewed.
Catch-ups turned into group chats left on seen.
Conversations faded into heart reacts on Facebook posts.
We’re building careers, families, identities…
But still, I miss them. I miss us.
He flew to Belgium, building a life abroad, working hard to carve a future just like many of us.
But slowly, those gatherings became fewer.
Catch-ups turned into group chats left on seen.
Conversations faded into heart reacts on Facebook posts.
We're still connected but mostly through timelines, not real time.
“It’s strange how people can still be in your life, but not in your days.”
And I get it. Life happened. We all have our responsibilities.
We’re building careers, families, identities…
But still, I miss them. I miss us.
And then… there’s Kuya CJ.
Another distance. Another goodbye wrapped in pride and quiet sadness.
🥺 When Reality Hits and Routines Shift
And now, reality has taken us to different paths.
Responsibilities, work, distance, and mismatched schedules made our once-regular meetups a rare luxury.
Sometimes I wonder…
Do they miss me too?
Do they also think about those Jollibee meals, our Counter Strike battles, our crazy beach games, our out-of-tune karaoke sessions?
I don’t know.
And that uncertainty makes me emotional sometimes.
But you know what gives me peace?
Seeing them on social media smiling, thriving, living life their own way.
It fills my heart to know they’re finding joy: with their new friends, families, their self-love routines, and even their love lives. (Yes, I see those sweet posts. 😅💕)
💡 Key Realizations from Today’s Emotional Spiral:
It’s okay to miss people who were once your daily constants.
Life moves us forward, but memories give us roots. 🌱
We don’t always need closure to hold love.
Just because we're apart doesn’t mean I stopped caring.
Friendship isn’t about always being in touch, but always being in heart.
Even in silence, real bonds remain. 🫶
It’s human to feel to remember, to ache, to wonder.
And that doesn’t make us weak. That makes us alive.
It’s okay to miss people who were once your daily constants.
Life moves us forward, but memories give us roots. 🌱
We don’t always need closure to hold love.
Just because we're apart doesn’t mean I stopped caring.
Friendship isn’t about always being in touch, but always being in heart.
Even in silence, real bonds remain. 🫶
It’s human to feel to remember, to ache, to wonder.
And that doesn’t make us weak. That makes us alive.
💬 A Quiet Letter to My College Friends:
To my barkada…
If ever you stumble upon this,
Just know, I miss you.
I miss all of you, our chaotic joy, our silly traditions, our KTV screams and internet café chaos.
I may be stepping into a big new chapter soon a new country, a new degree, and a future I’ve long dreamed of…
But a part of my heart?
It will always be at that beach, under the stars, with all of you.
“Some friendships don’t fade. They just rest quietly waiting for the day you meet again and pick up exactly where you left off.”
And that, I believe with all my heart.
—
From the girl who still laughs at our old jokes, cries at random memories, and silently cheers you on, wherever you are.
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