When I saw this topic, I honestly thought it would be simple, writing about the importance of friendship and moving on to my homework. It was not. I found myself sitting, pondering on the essence of and the emotion I feel about my friendships. It’s hard to put in words how important my friends are to me and how important friendship is, especially at this point in my life. I only have close friends, and I met them all uniquely. I met one of my best friends in seventh grade. We didn’t like each other. I thought she was rude, and she thought I was stuck up. But who knew a school trip to EPCOT would change my life and the way I view friendship. Eight years later, our families have grown closer, we facetime every day, and help each other on young adult life decisions.
When I started college without my best friend by my side, I was honestly afraid. We moved five hours away from each other, which is the farthest we’ve ever been apart. I was so unfamiliar with the campus, and I was too shy to go up to anyone and introduce myself. It got to a point where I felt alone and decided that I wanted to transfer to a university back home. I prayed a lot. I was praying for friendship and a way to make myself comfortable in a new chapter of my life. I talked to my friends back home, and they told me to go to events and try to become a familiar face to others. I took their advice and went to an event by myself, which is something I usually didn’t do. I saw a girl that looked familiar, went up to her and introduced myself. She happened to live next door to me in my dorm. We began to hang out, and she introduced me to her roommate, who introduced me to her friends. I ended up deleting my transfer application and continuing my education at Valdosta State. Three years later, we live together and are very close friends. Sometimes I think about what college would be like for me if I didn’t push myself to attend that event.
My friends and I motivate each other. We push each other to do better and be the best that we can be. We, as a group, hold a standard of excellence, and whenever we know someone isn’t showing their full potential, we try to motivate them to do their best. Being able to be influenced positively and still have fun with your friends is very important. College isn’t always about parties and adventure. It’s about achieving a higher education, and my friends and I know how to balance it. “Study now. Party later.”
The importance of friendship to me is the support and care you have for one another. To be able to strip yourself entirely of all societal pressures and be yourself around your friends is a feeling that I love and cherish the most. Without my friends, I wouldn’t be as outgoing or social. They allowed me to grow and flourish during this young adult chapter in my life. Together, we have fought through hours of studying, boy problems and gut-busting laughter. I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.
Their friendship and their love are so important to me.