My high school best friends and I picked different colleges. Luckily, that didn’t mean we were leaving each other behind, especially since we go to college in the same city. However, that means our schools are rivals. As a sophomore, there are a few things we have learned about what happens when you go to different colleges than your best friends, and especially at rival schools.
1. Saying goodbye
The absolute worst. The night that I said goodbye to my best friends before moving into college my freshman year, I was a mess of tears. These were my people, and now I would be lost. I couldn’t wait for my new adventure, but I wanted them to be there, too.
2. The group chats
Your phone is constantly buzzing, and everyone comments on how many people are texting you. In reality, it’s the same couple of people sending “hi,” “hey,” or “what’s up." Then, there's the constant friendly harassment because someone isn’t replying within a few minutes.
3. You get to tell each other about the food you ate (Just us?)
They may not be there to share in the pain of your cafeteria food, but the Snapchat pictures make them feel it, too. Or there's the Snapchats of your late night pizza, popcorn, or the Lunchables that you're scarfing down.
4. Your embarrassing stories get to be re-lived when you tell them about every detail
That trip on the sidewalk you hoped no one saw? They hear about it. The awkward conversation you just had? The group chat is the first to know. And, you know they're laughing at you as much as you're laughing at yourself.
5. Their new prospective bae makes social media your best friend
Since you have to wait to see them in person, you turn social media into your best friend by stalking them and giving the stamp of approval...or warning.
6. Some things just don't make sense without them by your side
You can only go so long out in the world by yourself until you find certain things you just need them by your side for. You balance each other out so well and rely on each other to get through simple tasks. Things are just confusing when they're gone.
7. Seeing each other again is like you never left, but also like you’ve been apart forever
Even if it was just a week ago. College is busy. It is hard to see our high school besties...even if their college is in the same town. The fact that they go to a rival school? Disapproving looks from everyone at your school that hates theirs. That doesn't make your excitement to see them any less, though.
8. Giving each other tours of your campus/place.
Showing each other around “your world” is fun. It’s something new and exciting—your own life that you finally get to show and share with them. It has become so usual and old to you that, when they come, it becomes exciting and fun again.
9. The "friendly" rivalry/big game against each other
You can only be peaceful about their college for so long. The day you get to be 100 percent ruthless is when your two colleges play each other. Our big game has a name—the Crosstown Shootout. It's intense. Losing isn't an option, and Musketeers won the last one so...better luck next year, Bearcats.
10. Reminisce about the old days—without being annoying
Talking about your high school days to people who didn’t know you then can get long and boring. When you’re with people that went through it with you, though, you get to laugh about your old self and everything you did “back then.” Including the dumb things...like locker swimming.
11. Lastly, and best of all, you come to realize that if the friendship is true, it will last through all of it
It doesn’t matter that your colleges are different if your friendship is still the same. And you love them for that. Huge thank you to my best friends for helping me through the high school years and sticking with me after that mess for the new one—college.
