In our ultimate final nerdy act, my 13 closest girlfriends and I attended the midnight showing of "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2" a few weeks ago. For those of you who are unaware of this teenage girl book-turned-movie frenzy, the basic premise is that four friends find a pair of pants that miraculously fit all of their bodies perfectly. The pants travel among the friends during the summer so that the girls can stay connected as they each depart on their own adventure.

In the typical humidity of August that destroyed perfectly styled hair, we all gathered in my backyard for dessert before the big premiere. Dressed up for the occasion, everyone was smiling from ear to ear. It was a picture-filled event with photos destined for Facebook, like any other evening with all of us. Among the high-pitch squeals, the latest gossip, and the attire commentary, it seemed like any other of our summer escapades.

As the clock slowly crept toward midnight, we camped outside the theater, wanting to ensure stellar seats, after the ticket collector told us we still had a 30-minute wait before we could enter the theater. We shared anxious glances with the male population who had gathered for the showing of "Pineapple Express."

When we finally took our seats, we filled an entire row. The previews ended as quickly as they began. We regaled in the movie like we were living the lives of these four best friends who had grown together and apart after their freshman year of college. They had shared love and lost, success and failure. By a little past two in the morning, fingers smudged mascara on many of our teary eyes. This adventure was somehow very different.

Yes, it was a typical chick-flick just like the dozens we have learned to love over the years and have comforted us alongside a pint of ice cream, but this time it was a little more. We were these friends. Next summer we would experience their reality. We will know what it is like to spend an entire year apart, make new friends, our fair share of mistakes and pursue diverse interests. In a way, during these two hours we were living our lives on fast forward. It was one of the best $10 I ever spent for a ticket.

Over the years, cliques have come and gone, and loyalty has changed by the hour. But, many of us have grown up together. From first crushes, to first school dances, from preteen sleepovers, to high school graduation, we have shared countless priceless memories where secrets are now virtually nonexistent.

College had turned from the "buzz" word last fall to the "taboo" word of the late spring and summer. Everyone knows where everyone is heading and whether they are scared, have an ideal roommate, or no idea in what they want to major.

By the time this column is printed, I will have said many good-byes. Most of my friends will have already taken off for school in cities from Los Angeles to Boston to St. Louis to Nashville. My high school friends who were always within an easy driving or walking distance now span the country.

As a student on the often dreaded college trimester system, I do not leave for school for another few weeks. I have plenty of time to reflect on my growth over the last 18 years in the midst of the frenzy-filled college packing and room emptying.

If I have learned anything over the past 18 years, it is that good friends are like a good chick flick. Both are often described with overly trite clichés, but both can also provide more comfort, security, and laughter than is tangible.

Lisa Silverman is a 2008 graduate of Centennial High School. You can e-mail her at cdumler@theviewnewspapers.com.

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