As I sat down to write my last article for the The Paw Print ever, I was honestly getting a little emotional. Yeah, I spent most of the year complaining about the ridiculous due dates and silly little news articles I had to write, but it wasn’t bad. I am just dramatic. Anyway, I couldn’t really think of anything important enough to write about… that was until I got a text from one of my friends asking me to play pickleball. Yes, I do love some pickleball, but the text gave me an idea to write about something that I love more than anything: my friends.
To start, I would like to add that I don’t live in Green like the rest of my peers, so that already sets me behind in making friends. Everyone at school lives close to one another, so they already know each other from being neighbors. I, on the other hand, live 20 minutes away from the school, so no one living within the 5-mile vicinity of me goes to Green. Some people don’t even know what Green High School is if that tells you anything.
Growing up, I never really had a stereotypical best friend. You know, that person you grew up with and spent every moment with. Instead, I was the type of person who would walk through the hallway and have 27 different conversations with different people I saw in passing. I love talking to people, but I was always worried about opening up because I was afraid of people not liking me. I always wanted that person that I would go to for anything, but I never had it. Being social is probably my favorite thing to do, but that fear of having people dislike me was holding me back.
At the beginning of high school, I felt like everyone else already had their people. Whether it was a set best friend or a set group of friends, they had a head start of having people to go to all the time. I always thought that I would never be anyone’s first choice because they had each other. I had a few good friends, but it felt as if they would always pick someone else over me. It took me a while to realize that I didn’t need a stereotypical “best friend” to have a great high school experience.
From participating in sports, it allowed me to meet a lot of new people from different backgrounds. These people introduced me to their friends, further spreading my social circle. I took both honors and grade-level classes, which allowed me to meet even more different people. I grew to appreciate the diversity of my social connections.
I’ve drifted between social circles my entire life and I honestly wouldn’t have it any other way. In doing this, I met so many amazing people because I wasn’t just in a single group. I found the people that helped me through my sports. I found the people that I could study for tests with. I found the people that shaped me into the friend they could rely on. Sure, sometimes it did feel like I didn’t fit in anywhere, but looking back, floating around allowed me to make friends in all different group dynamics. And no, I am not putting down the people who do have a friend group, I just want the people who don’t to realize that it’s okay not to. It’s impossible to bind yourself to one group of ever changing kids, especially in highschool.
Having friends from different places also allowed me to introduce them to each other and grow an even bigger dynamic. I love to go do something, invite my friends to it, force them to hang out and get to know each other. Yes, the introductions are awkward, but I have never had a time where I hung out with two different friends, and it went poorly. Typically, they even become friends themselves!
So basically, for those who need to hear it, it’s okay to not have a set friend group or “best friend”. Because I didn’t have this, I got to meet so many amazing people. I love all of my friends. Whether they’re there to make me laugh, cry with me, or just hang out with me, I love all of them. I wouldn’t be the person I am today without all of my friends and I will forever be grateful for them.
