For many, going away to college is the first step on the path to adulthood.

It’s important and good for the soul to develop and nurture strong relationships throughout these pivotal years and surrounding yourself with positive friends will make you happy and ensure a good journey.

I’ve encountered many different people since moving to Santa Barbara, and not all that I have crossed paths with have stayed in my life.

We all have superficial friends that we only see when we go out and even those acquaintances from class that we end up studying with occasionally. These probably aren’t the kinds of people that will have a huge impact on us; instead they will eventually become blurred into our memories of our college days.

Carlin Flora explained in an article published in TIME that healthy relationships with people who share similar goals could help you to become more successful.

Real, solid friendships can offer us emotional support, structure and meaning, which is incredibly important when we are in this transitional period in our lives and are blindly diving into the unknown.

I consider myself blessed. I’ve lived here for almost two years, and I can finally say with conviction that all the friends that I now surround myself with are the type of people that truly make me happy.

When I moved into my first apartment in downtown Santa Barbara, I was completely alone for a week before my roommate and high school best friend joined me. It was a very lonely week that seemed to drag on forever. My only social interaction was with the cashier at Ralph’s.

Fast forward to where I find myself now. My four roommates have become some of my closest friends that I spend a great deal of time with, and some of my best friends live up the street or a short drive across town.

It’s an amazing feeling to be surrounded by positive energy, and it is what helps me strive for greatness.

That’s not to say we won’t encounter bumpy roads with friends along the way. What matters most is being able to rely on others and having a strong support system.