Once you get toward the end of your senior year in high school one of the many things that you'll hear is to not expect to stay in touch with your high school friends once you go to college. Now, I can understand why you would hear this before social media became such a big thing, but now with all of the tools to stay in touch I don't really understand why it's still expected to not stay in touch. In fact, I think it's important to try and stay in touch with your close high school friends.

There are a few different reasons why I think you should stay in touch with your high school friends. First, you already know that you have similar interests. In the beginning of your freshman year of college it can be tiring trying to find people who have the same interests. And if you're anything like me, I love to talk about my interests with other people. This year it took me a while to find new friends who had similar interests. But I knew that I would always have my friends from high school, if I wanted to talk about a new artist that I really like, or a book series I love. I'll always have that group that has similar interests as me, why would I want to lose that?

One of the reasons I am so grateful that I've managed to stay in touch with my high school friends is the level of familiarity. If something upsets me they know why, I don't have to explain to them why I'm getting upset, they just understand. Or if I mention something about a family member, I don't have to give the background history on that family member because chances are they've already met them. It's so nice when you're in this new place, where you don't know anyone to know that you still have a group of people that know you, and everything about you.

The last and probably most important reason is that you'll miss your high school friends when you're apart. You've made so many memories together, and it's hard to let that go. And you shouldn't have to let it go. I don't know about other people, but I haven't been with my high school friends since just high school, they were also my middle school friends, and some of them were even my elementary school friends. That's a lot of time to just give up once you go to college. Plus they were there for my awkward phases and still stuck around, and that says a lot. Talk about dedication. These friends were there for your good days and your bad days. They know the hardships that you've faced, and they know what you've accomplished. They love you and support you and you shouldn't give up on that relationship just because you're going to college.