College is hard. There's no doubt about it. It is especially so when you consider the number of lifestyle changes that happen in the short amount of time between being a high school graduate and an incoming college freshmen. For a lot of students, this means adapting to a new environment with hundreds of strangers, and learning how to successfully live on your own. Granted, everyone deals with these changes differently, but a similar motif seems to occur in the lives of many new college students: Having difficulty maintaining already existing relationships.
This can hold true for any relationship- romantic, friendly, or otherwise. But why does this seem to be a recurring theme in the lives of students? I pose a genuine question here, and although there can be many different reasons why, it seems to come down to a few simple facts of life.
In times of change, especially the extreme change that comes with starting college, everything in life seems to be spinning out of control. Friends are moving all across the country, everyone is meeting new people and expanding their circles, and it is very easy to get caught up in the commotion of a new life in a new place. It is very easy to let past relationships fall through the cracks, especially with those who you used to see everyday, but now have to make an effort to stay in contact with. It is the extent of that effort that can make or break a relationship, especially in college. When everyone is running in their own respective circles, it becomes increasingly difficult to make those circles cross paths.
Everyone has a story about those they used to be close with, but "things just didn't work out". Many just live under the notion that those who should be in your life will stay and the others will weed out, but is that always fair? It can be no one's fault that communication stops and that things fade away, but the cost can be the loss of a great friendship or relationship. In today's society, people are increasingly focused on the now; If it's not showing up on your Twitter feed then it must not be important, it won't be sought out. But friendships are not trending and relationships are worth more than a "like" on Facebook. They take effort to maintain, and the bond that occurs can last a lifetime, which I would consider well worth the time and work put into maintaining a relationship.
It is important to actively maintain relationships with those that you hold dear. The best of friends will always be there in your time of need, but that doesn't mean you should take those people for granted. Hubert Humphrey, Vice President under Lyndon B. Johnson, has been quoted saying "The greatest gift of life is friendship, and I have received it". Gifts are precious things, and I should think we would want to cherish them, which means cherishing those that give them to us. If someone in your life means a great deal to you, let them know. Especially in a time where everyone is busy and life is demanding; Odds are, they'll be grateful to hear it, and there is no greater bond than through mutual compassion and love.
In the end, no matter what your circumstances are, relationships are what you make them. Life may get hard and it may feel like you're at odds with the world sometimes, but regardless of what is on your plate, you'll always have people to back you up. Those are the relationships worth putting energy into; You don't want to look back when you've been knocked down and realize you have no one left in your corner.