All of us in high school know that we don't always keep the same friends through it all. By the time we graduate, some may have a whole new group of friends and maybe even some friends they never thought they would have. If that happens, it's how it is supposed to be. We are meant to grow throughout these years.

People change. That's what we do. We all develop new interests and gain new understandings of everything around us. It's completely normal to realize that the friends you had in grade school aren't the friends you would like to have in high school. People grow apart, and that's okay. If we were meant to all stay friends forever, I have a feeling we would never change.

In high school, it's hard to keep up with school life, let alone a social life. We have sports, extracurricular activities, academics, and all other obligations outside of school. It's completely understandable if we can't find time to "hang out" with our friends every other night. A lot of the times, if we don't see our friends outside of school, we drift apart. We start focusing on other things and start losing sight of our friendships. Maintaining relationships is hard when you have so much on your plate.

Keeping the same friends throughout High School is a rare treasure. A lot of things get in the way, including drama. One fight can break up a whole friend group. That's why it's so important to ignore rumors, and focus on what you know is true and good about your friends. As a senior, I am lucky enough to have most of the same friends now as I did when I was a freshmen. Sure, some friends come and some friends go, but the important ones are always there. The ones who stick around are the ones you know you can count on and that's so important throughout these four years.

We are meant to change and move on, gain new friendships and experiences, and learn lessons along the way. If our friends stick with us through all of this, they sure are good ones. Treasure your friendships and don't let them go to waste over silly drama. Be sure to make time, even if it's twice a month, to see them outside of school. It will make a world of a difference. If you walk out of the high school doors with the same friends you walked in with, congratulations. You made it through the toil. And if you walk out of the doors with a completely different group of friends, that's okay, it was meant to be that way. Friendships are the most important thing to have in high school. They act as a support group and whatever else they need to be. So don't take for granted what you have with your friends, and try your hardest not to lose it.