With a new class of students going to be attending college for their freshman year, many high school friends are going to be split up. As ideal as it would be to attend the same college with your closest friends, that's very unlikely. More likely, you're going off alone, or with one previous friend if you're lucky. So, the big question is, how will your friendships be affected?
The answer isn't as simple as it may seem.
No two friendships are the same, so the separation of going to different colleges will affect everyone differently. If you're close to your friends, then chances are not much will change. You'll both make some new friends, but probably will maintain a daily text message conversation. If you aren't as close with some friends, chances are communication will drop to an all time low, maybe texting each other once a month, or you won't talk until you happen to see each other in person. Or, you could be rooming with a friend, and it's great but sometimes you feel like you see them almost too much. And there's a lot of reasons for all of these possible outcomes.
You live in different places now.
Although you may not have lived across the street from them in high school, chances are the colleges your friends decide to go to are at least an hour away from where you're going to school. With most colleges not allowing freshmen to bring vehicles on campus, this makes meeting up when you both aren't home almost impossible. If you're lucky, and you made friends with an upperclassmen who has a vehicle you could possibly convince them to go see your old friend, but money is tight and gas is expensive. Plus, you and your friends are both in new places with new people, there's a good chance you'll want to explore, make some memories before meeting back up and sharing your experiences.
You'll make some new friends.
If you're rooming with a complete stranger your freshmen year, like most freshmen do, there's a good chance your first friend will be your roommate. From there, you'll meet people in the classes you take, or in the dining halls and even the student union. There are so many new people that you've never met before, and campuses do well at creating good environments for freshmen in particular to mingle amongst themselves. Even if you did go to college with a high school friend, you'll want to make more friends. As much fun as it sounds to spend every moment of your college career with an old friend, chances are you'll need a break sooner rather than later. You'll make friends that only you hang out with, as much as they'll have friends only they hang out with, and you'll have friends you both hang out with.
You and your friends will now have two different friend groups.
My high school friends and I were inseparable in high school, so when we went off to college it was a rough transition for us. We all eventually made new friends at our respective schools. This leads to what me and my friends call the "Home Squad vs College Squad" feelings. There's a good chance that although you're at college or at home and having a good time with the respective friend group, you'll miss being with the other. At first this can be a little upsetting as the friend dealing with these feelings, but it's natural. Just as you missed your friends when you went off to college, you now miss your college friends when you went home. So, don't be surprised if your friends make plans to visit college buddies for a few days, it's not like you never went home during the school year.
You and your friends will change as individuals.
College is a time for self evaluation and self change. This is the first time most people get a taste for independence. This will cause people to seek out new things they've never had or tried before. Most upperclassmen refer to this as the "first semester of my freshmen year". This is the time when you make mistakes and you learn how to manage your time and energy as an independent person. It'll be stressful, and you'll miss your comfort zone, but you'll adjust. Your friends will be going through the same thing as you. This adjustment period may reveal things about yourself or your friends you never knew. So, when you all finally meet back up, don't be surprised if a friend seems more mature or almost like a completely different person, because they may think the same way about you.
You'll learn more about who your friends truly are.
This more applies for if you're rooming with a friend when you go to college. Before this, the longest you've been around your friend is a weekend, maybe a week long vacation at most. Now, you live with them. You see them almost all day. You see their living habits, cleaning habits, study habits, and sleeping habits. There's a good chance you don't share most of these in common. The difficult thing will be finding a middle ground to live together harmoniously. You'll watch the change during the adjustment period, and it'll be difficult because you'll see all the stages, not just the end result, but...
In the end, they're still your friends.
No matter how much they've changed, or how much you've changed, your friends are your friends. They made it through high school with you, they share so many cherished memories with you. It'll be difficult seeing how much has changed, but keep an open mind, things may be better than before.
