Essay: How I Met My Best Friend on Reddit

I met my best friend on Reddit.

That sounds weird, especially since I’m not a frequent Reddit user, but one fateful interaction on the site changed my life.

It was a sweltering summer day in 2021 while I skimmed the Loyola subreddit, anxious about what to expect from my future alma mater. I noticed someone asked about the Wellness Center, and since I was also concerned about my health, I messaged them asking if they’d gotten any response.

I don’t remember what they said. I do remember, though, the impact they had on my life after we finally met in person.

As I began my first-year at Loyola, I attended a slew of student-organized events, including a clothing swap hosted by Growers’ Guild. I thought I’d find thick shirts and sweaters to fend off brisk October nights, but I didn’t know I’d also find Levi — the person I’d messaged on Reddit.

We noticed each other combing through the clothing swap tables. Levi had posted selfies on Reddit, so I knew how she looked, and my cartoon profile picture looked enough like me for her to connect the dots. We chatted, a bit flustered given we’d met on a site like Reddit, and eventually we left with each others’ Instagram handles.

We didn’t see each other much the rest of our first-year. Levi majored in neuroscience while I studied communication, so we didn’t have any overlapping classes. Levi lived in Simpson, I lived in Francis. The most we saw of each other was in dining halls, which led to a mortifying interaction when Levi waved hello to my mom and I while we argued about my possibly being hospitalized.

I did in fact land in the hospital that summer. Levi, who’d gone through similar treatment, texted me frequently, even sending me videos of herself to cheer me up. When I was discharged at the end of August, I couldn’t wait to see her at school again.

We grew closer during our second-year. We sprinted under the light of street lamps on our way to underground concerts, dressed up for Halloween. We hung out with Levi’s boyfriend, Víctor, who’s now one of my best friends. We made trips to Devon Market for snacks, passing a big box of Medjool dates around Víctor’s dorm room.

One of the hardest things about studying abroad in Rome my third-year was not seeing Levi, who was still in Chicago, and Víctor, who was studying in Paris. But when I returned to campus in the spring semester, it was like we’d never been apart.

I plan on moving in with Levi and our friend Shreya this spring. We only live about a block away from each other now, so it’s not that big of a change, but I’m still excited for all the adventures ahead of us.

When I reflect on our friendship now, I don’t think about Reddit. I think about the days we’ve spent together — getting groceries, making collages, watching reality TV — and how grateful I am to have found someone as amazing as Levi in such a wonderfully unconventional way.