I
t’s very interesting to see how much things change from first semester to second semester — especially when it comes to friends. Sure, you’re still living around the same people, but throughout the course of the year, groups of friends are changing consistently. Someone who you were friends with in September may become a stranger by March. You find yourself telling your deepest secrets to people you never thought you would ever be close with, let alone trust. And you know you all will remain friends, or at the very least on good terms, for the rest of these four years.
Second semester is a time when everyone’s true colors start to show. First semester, people were on good behavior, making sure to not cause too much drama. But the acts could only go on for so long. Everything comes out when you all know each other so well, especially when you’re living with each other.
When everyone came back for second semester, it was a little weird at first, getting back into the groove of things. Some people, like me, became busier, getting involved in more activities. Since people had such different schedules by second semester, friendships shifted. People hung out with whoever was around. All in all, watching the friendship dynamic shift is interesting to see.
For me, by spring break, my close group of friends from first semester completely merged with another group that we were always friendly with but did not hang out with on a consistent basis. Some people in this larger group I see more often than others, but we all come together in the end.
I know I’ve said this a lot in previous blogs, but the fact remains, these freshman year friends are so special and unique. As my friend Liz said, “We’ve only known each other a couple of months, but we’re best friends.” They have shared the same experiences, coming to college, getting used to college life. They’ve seen the ups and the downs, gone through floor drama, and supported you when you were down.
Though things have changed, it is imperative to maintain these connections with freshman friends. The social life on the floors come sophomore year is dramatically different and you may end up finding yourself hanging out with your freshman floor all the time. However, come next year, you will have to find a commonplace to gather due to everyone living in different buildings. The luxury of casually walking across the hall to see a friend is no longer possible.
Friends constantly change throughout our lives, but this semester has proved to me that some people are always going to be there for you. Even though the group dynamic has changed, some people remain constant. Others that you never imagined becoming close to have become great friends. This semester feels like the beginning all over again, hanging out with a bunch of people, new and old, and just having fun. After all, we have to make the most of these remaining weeks as freshmen.