Emine Demirgil, bottom right, and some of the friends she calls "keepers" from her days at Penn State Abington.
Emine Demirgil transitioned to University Park this week, but the friendships formed at Penn State Abington are constants in her life. The Netherlands native reflected on the people who “fill my love tank right on up” in her latest -- but not last -- post on the Lions Tales blog:
Friendship is a beautiful thing. I don’t have to tell you that finding true friends is often a lifelong event – sometimes you find them, sometimes you don’t. So it is an incredible gift when you find those who are supportive of your weirdness, those who are genuinely interested in your well-being and those who will walk alongside you – through good and bad times.
I have been incredibly blessed to find some truly amazing friends. I may not see them every day. I may not even see them every month. But when I do see them, they fill my love tank right on up. They inspire me, challenge my thinking, teach respect and liven up the giggles in my life. Those who have read my older posts know that “my angels” live in the Netherlands. They are my best friends, my soulmates, BUT I have been incredibly lucky in the United States, too. Being involved with the International Cultural Alliance at Penn State Abington was amazing in a lot of aspects but there is one thing I am the most grateful for: FRIENDSHIPS.
A couple weeks ago was my birthday. My sisters drove me to Philadelphia for dinner. Me, not being aware of anything, walked into the restaurant. The walls were decorated with flags from countries that played in the World Cup, and I was counting how many flags I could recognize. … Till my eyes caught a table with 15 people covering their faces with menus. My friends had planned a birthday party for me! Surprise Surprise! I could have never guessed it and they made me the happiest person right there and then!
Being surrounded by fake people, I had times where I believed I only had true friends in the Netherlands, but right there and then these wonderful people showed up in my life and proved me wrong. Especially Ana Marta, who is my Big Baby, has been an amazing friend for me. Without even realizing, we had formed a very special friendship with her and I will always cherish it. She, and many others from International Cultural Alliance, have now been added to my “Keepers” list :))
I am honestly having mixed feelings about University Park. I am excited, worried, sad and happy at the same time. I am totally ready for a change, and I am excited about meeting new people but I also know that I am going to miss my friends from Abington.
For everyone that is suffering from the fake-friends disease: Get rid of the rotten apples and don’t let them spoil the bunch!
The Lion Tales blog features a rotating cast of Abington students talking about college life. To read other posts, including more from Emine, go to http://pennstateabington.wordpress.com/.
