I’ve had friends from every medium you can imagine: childhood, middle school, high school, sports and month-long summer camps. With reflection, I’ve come to believe that college friends are the most special friendships you can have, and here’s why:
1. College Friends Become Family
From the very beginning, college friends are set up to be like family. Even as a freshman, you become connected in a special way because of the similar monumental life changes experienced together. Spending meals together, going to parties together and studying for midterms together with my new friends made me feel like I had a family at school. Once I found the group that I spend my time with, I’ve found my friendships to grow into family-like relationships. Not only are your friends a place to come home to every day, they are also the first ones who are going to care for you when you’re sick, be your shoulder to cry on when you break up with your significant other or wake you up for class when you didn’t get up to your alarm. Naturally, moments like these allow for you to bond an indescribable way.
2. College friends see you for who you are
In high school, I was frustrated with the feeling of not being able to branch out of my childhood identity. In college, everyone has their own passions, majors, activities and friends, so people are less concerned with what you’re doing or if you’re trying something new. If anything, in college, it’s celebrated when someone tries something new or is interested in something different than you. College friends are so refreshing to be around because they are there with you in the present moment and don’t have to know anything about your past if you choose not to tell them, and aren’t as quick to judge you for trying out a new haircut, style or identity. (could you not use as quick to judge? It makes your high school friends in a bad light. Maybe say they are more open to watching you grow?)
3. College friends are there for you in life’s best (and worst) moments
I can’t wait to tell my kids about my friends from college with whom I’ve spent some of my best days. College friends get to see you and celebrate with you in the most special moments, such as getting ready for job interviews, celebrating your 21st birthday, passing the class you didn’t think you could or getting the leadership position you worked hard for. While a lot of downs in college can occur, such as the death of a parent or a family member, breakups, failing a class or being homesick, your college friends will be there for you during these tough times, All of these moments, both the good and the bad, will bring you together like no other.
4. College Friends Don’t Care About Who You Were in High School
One of my favorite things about college is that when I look at my friends, many of them are people that I couldn’t picture myself being friends with in high school. I went to a small all girls high school, and the atmosphere encouraged others to only be friends with people whom they were most similar. This became exhausting at times, as I’ve always found new experiences and people refreshing. It also made individuality to be seen as something different or weird, making everyone more inclined to try and fit a mold of each other. I can proudly say that in college, I am friends with a lot of people who are very different than I am. Because of this, I feel like I have broadened my perspectives and learned about many different cultures and ideas that I never would’ve been exposed to previously. College has made me realize the importance of being surrounded by people who have different backgrounds and personalities than me.
5. College Friends make for the best conversations
As I previously stated, most of my friends have different majors, personalities and backgrounds, which has allowed for the best conversations. I’ve found there to be less drama in college, which has allowed for fascinating conversations topics regarding philosophy, psychology, a person’s vision of the world, their hopes and dreams and what makes them stay awake at night. Personally, I crave these types of conversations and college is a place where I’ve been able to share these fruitful conversations and ideas with others.