Edit Desk: Carrie Bradshaw had Manhattan — I have Lehigh

When I think about my life, I often compare it to Carrie Bradshaw’s. 

Writing articles, loving fashion, being obsessed with New York City — and even having troubles with my own “Mr. Big.” 

I may not have curly hair or Manolo Blahniks, but I know I have one thing in common with Carrie: a love for our best friends. 

“They say nothing lasts forever; dreams change, trends come and go, but friendships never go out of style.” 

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from “Sex and the City” and my own life, it’s to find your best friends before anything else. 

Just as Carrie, Miranda, Samantha and Charlotte catch up over breakfast, my friends and I do the same. 

We sit in our apartment living room wrapped in blankets, debriefing the night before. There’s always laughter, sometimes tears, but the best part is simply being together. 

Whether in Bethlehem or New York City, there’s nothing a good talk with your friends can’t fix. 

My friends and I often find ourselves comparing who would be each character, and of course they get mad when I say they’re Samantha or Miranda. 

But sometimes you need a Samantha, the friend who’s going to tell you the truth no matter how hard it is to hear. 

And sometimes you need a Miranda, the one who reminds you to put yourself first. 

I may not have the same three friends as Carrie who eat brunch in Manhattan, but I have my own special circle.

Some nights I need Catherine, the one who crawls into bed with me when I’m spiraling.

Then there’s Sarah, who reassures me I’m doing better than I think.  

Juliette, the one who wraps me in a hug when she knows I need it. 

And Gina, who reminds me to breathe, slow down and not take life too seriously. 

They say college is where you find yourself, but maybe it’s just as much about finding the people who make you feel like yourself. 

For me, that feeling shows up in the smallest moments — getting ready for a night out, blasting Tate McRae, doing our hair and makeup in the bathroom, and filming TikToks. Or when we’re all in the kitchen making iced coffee and avocado toast before our 10:45 a.m. class. 

Simple, yet everything. 

Recently, I’ve gone through some obstacles, and my friends have been there every step of the way. 

Gina even got me a journal to start writing everything down. 

It’s funny how a friend handing you a book of empty pages can make you realize you’re ready to start a new chapter. 

College can be messy — full of heartbreaks, academics and pressure to have everything figured out. It’s reassuring to know I have girls who will always have my back. 

But we don’t always have serious conversations. 

Last month, Catherine and I argued about who was faster at running. 

We both gave elevator pitches on why each of us would win in a race, to the point where we sprinted around our apartment and stretched for the rest of the night. 

The next day, we drove to Goodman Campus, blasting “We are the Champions” with the windows down. 

We did a 100-meter dash on the track. 

I won, and I’ll never let her forget it.  

It’s moments like these that I want to remember forever. 

Sure, Carrie had designer bags and shoes, but we have Lehigh — our own version of Manhattan. 

And soon, I’ll have Madrid.  

In a few months, I’ll be 11,000 miles away from one friend and 5,000 miles away from another. 

I never thought after living in our apartment for three months that I’d grow so attached to it and the memories we’ve made.  

I can’t believe I won’t be waking up with my four best friends, watching “Dear John” on the couch as we bawl our eyes out, or ordering Taco Bell because we just need a Crunchwrap Supreme. 

But I do know that after a semester apart, we’ll come back with new stories to tell from everything we experienced abroad and at Lehigh. 

I can already picture the five of us on the couch, wrapped in blankets, as if we never left. 

Even though I’m scared to be in a different country away from everything I know, I’ll be OK because of everything they’ve taught me — to be strong, patient and to laugh at life. 

I may not be Carrie Bradshaw living a glamorous life in the city, but I do have my best friends, the ones who make even the smallest moments feel like the best ones.