Throughout high school I had a few best friends I never grew apart from. Then, come senior year, I bounced between a few different friend groups (tennis girls, theatre people, weird combinations of our friends and their friends plus some mutual friends, blah blah blah).
It wasn’t until the end of senior year that I found my group. That we found our group.
My other friend hand-picked the five people he thought we would get along the most with and then told me we should hang out one Friday. It’s over three years later and we’re still going strong (shout out to Patrick, who obviously had the best idea ever).
I won’t pretend “Will we last?” didn’t cross my mind once or twice, because let’s be honest – young adults are scary and mean and the whole world was busy telling us that college tears friendships apart.
But I know we will make it because we’ve made it this far.
We made it through the end of senior year, which was fun, yes, but also emotional and stressful. And then we made plenty of time for each other in the busy months leading up to the big deal: college. We made it through the initial gut-wrenching semester where I ached for a text update and have never been happier than the first time we saw each other again. We made it through the next two years, which only brought more responsibilities, busy schedules and more new friends/relationships.
We just took a vacation together that included a 12-hour car ride there and back with a small car packed with the five of us and all of our belongings. We didn’t fight or get sick of each other. We all had a great time and I can’t think of many other instances where that would’ve happened.
We always find things to talk about. We reminisce together, ask endless questions, and never stop getting to know each other. We’re comfortable with silence when those conversations do fizzle out or some of us just don’t feel like talking. We’re able to pick up on each other’s feelings and opinions without anyone having to say much, which is definitely a little bit of a curse, but more of a blessing. We see each other at least once a week when we’re home on breaks and whether we go on an adventure or just sit around, it’s a part of our routine that we look forward to.
We did it, we found our support system. We found the best friends we’ll have for life and were lucky enough to do it while we still had the convenience and comfort of high school. They are home to me.
If you asked me in the fall of my senior year who I would be spending all my time with when I was 21, I wouldn’t have guessed these four incredible human beings. But I am so glad I was wrong.
Some people find their lifelong friends as children (the two other girls in this group are that for me), some in high school (the two boys), some in college (not me) and some not until later in their lives. Without Chiara, Hayley, Patrick, and Robert I can confidently say I would be much worse off.
You all have your own “Friday Group”: the practical, nurturing one, free-spirited one, honest one, and understanding, clever one (plus wherever you fit in).
Some combinations are just right, and this is one of those instances.
If you haven’t found these people in your life yet, hang tight: you will.
And if you have, pleeaase don’t let them go. You’ll regret it.
Be thankful for your friendships and what they’ve endured. Don’t forget to love them a little extra today!
