What amazes me about Jeff is the down to earth vibe I get from him every time I talk to him. His phone calls generally come out of the blue, at random times of day, to catch me up on the latest developments in his life or tennis club news that he somehow heard before I did, even though he’s in Washington. And every time we get off the phone, I think of this picture of him, Brent and I at Nationals a few years ago, consulting each other about how the hell we’re going to beat Clemson. It’s one of my favorite pictures. Jeff probably doesn’t know, but he’s one of my favorite guys, along
with Brent and Jon. And Pete, of course (c’mon, people, that’s a given!). Jeff was the one who made our team feel like a team, and even in his absence he still makes me feel a part of Tennis Club, even though neither of us are involved in it at all, and Brent is the only one left.

I have this group of friends that I’ve known since my frosh year of college, and they’re so special to me. I’ve known a lot of people before and after them, but through Sunday night dinner, traveling for Club, multiple moves and multiple life "dramas," they so feel like family to me.
I mention them because Jeff is one, along with Pete, Brent, Mandy, Cristin, Lizbeth, Juan, and even Jared. It’s so
weird to watch us all grow up, and I’m so excited for all of them.
I love the familiarity that I have with each of them, there’s never awkwardness or need for backstory.
For some reason, they all just seem to know me. Now we’re all growing up, working, graduating, and moving on with life. And then there will be the
random phone call, reminding me that in college, I was a part of something that really happened, because now that college is over I don’t feel that way. And now my younger friends are graduating too, reminding me that I’m getting older, and I can’t believe they (ahem, Jess and Kristin) have known ME all four years of their college. Next will be Marissa and Julie, and then all my good friends will be out of school.