Growing up, I went to the same school. From kindergarten until senior year I attended the same private school and for the most part attended it with the same kids. I know what you're probably thinking, "I bet that was awful I would hate to have gone to the same school my entire life, especially a private school". But hear me out, it wasn't bad at all. I actually loved the people I went to school with and even though half the time we fought like cats and dogs, my classmates were my family. My school was my family. And I wouldn't have had it any other way.
But going to such a small school, naturally you had the same group of friends. Even if you didn't have a ton in common with them, in a class and school that small, those select group of people were all you had. Now don't get me wrong, I love my high school friends, but since coming to college I've realized there is a difference between the two friendships.
In high school the majority of my memories involved sports. Most, if not, all of my friendships began by playing on the same sports team and riding to and from games with those same people. When I came to college though, I realized that many of those people that I shared those memories with started to slip away and I didn't understand why. But the reason is, when you only have something in the past keeping your friendship going, you'll slowly start to go your separate ways. Which is exactly what happened. You're always changing, and if your life now doesn't relate much to their life now, then the past will begin to just become a small topic to talk about whenever you do see each other.
Along with sports, another thing that kept my high school friendships so strong was being together 24/7. When I came to college and wasn't with the same people every day, I started to see which high school relationships stayed and which ones began to drift away.
You're not obligated to keep in touch with anyone, and no one is obligated to keep in touch with you.
You may be surprised at the high school friends you thought you would have forever, but end up being the biggest strangers. That's because after you graduate and leave the confines of your small town and school, you're free to do what's best for you. And that may include going to school far away and leaving some people behind in the process.
In college the friendships are so different, because the people you are friends with here will sometimes be nothing like you. And that's okay. Half of the friends I have in college I would have never been friends with in high school, because I was under the impression back then that everyone had to be exactly like me. But that couldn't be farther from the truth.
Another huge difference between high school and college friends is the freedom you have with them. In high school, you always had your parents restricting you as to what you could and couldn't do with your friends. You always had a curfew, and freedom just wasn't something you knew. But being in college, you're free to make your own decisions which makes your friendships there polar opposite from high school.
With all this being said, I wouldn't trade my high school friendships for anything. Those people made me into the person I am today, and a lot of those people remain close friends that although I don't see as often, I know I can always rely on. I'm so blessed to have met the college friends I have also, because with the sleepless nights and stress that comes with being away from home, it's always good to have a group of friends you can depend on. Although my high school and college friends are very different, they are alike in the fact that they love me just the same. And I couldn't be more thankful for that.
