As a college freshman, going back home for the first time is a very strange and exciting time. Getting to see family and sleep in your own bed after not having done so for a few months is extremely gratifying, but one of the things I looked forward to the most was seeing my friends from high school. I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect, but these are a few things that I experienced when we were finally reunited.
1. You figure out who glo’d up and who stayed exactly the same
This is arguably one of the most fun parts of reuniting with old friends. One of your friends got a haircut and now looks significantly older than when you last saw them. Another finally matured the way everyone was waiting for them to throughout high school and has ambitious plans for the future. But, every friend group has at least one person who has remained comfortingly similar to their high school self, and being with them makes you feel as though nothing has changed, which can keep you sane while you are trying to wrap your head around everyone else.
2. You miss the ease of high school
Although high school is a strange and very stressful time, there is something to be said about being surrounded by your closest friends while still having a home to escape to at the end of the day. Especially during the hectic first few months of college, it can be easy to look back on high school as having been simple and straightforward. When this happens, remember how eager you were as a senior to experience new and exciting things and how much you’ve been able to achieve outside of high school.
3. You prioritize the important people
The time you have during breaks is limited and it can be difficult and overwhelming to try to fit in time for everyone you plan to see. Figuring out who you are actually excited to see and willing to set aside time for gives you a sense of who is really important to you, especially if it cuts into the time you get to spend with your family.
4. You realize who you don’t click with
It is simply a fact of being in high school that there are certain people you are only friends with because you see them five days a week. That isn’t to say you don’t care about them and didn’t value the time you spent together, but you maybe don’t have as much in common with them as you previously thought. This can be sad, but it can allow you to focus your energy on the people that really matter as well as make room for new friendships.
5. You feel old and worldly
If you and your high school friends decide to visit your old high school, it is inevitable that everyone seems young and you feel old in comparison. Even those or your friends who seem relatively unchanged have a noticeable college feel to them that is all the more obvious when you go back. Were freshmen always that small and immature? This is intensified due to your friends who are still in high school asking for stories and advice, but you should try your best not to be too condescending.
6. You reminisce
Especially if you decide to go back to the spots you frequented in high school, you can’t help looking back on memories and feel nostalgic. It’s fun to laugh at old inside jokes and go through pictures, comparing your college self to who you were in high school. Don’t fight this part of the process; just hug your friends and remind them how important they are to you when you can feel yourself getting sentimental.
Overall, getting to see the people you missed the most during your first few months of college can be a roller coaster of emotions. It might be hard to handle people changing, yourself included, but growth leads to good things and the people who care about you will always be there for you.