When in high school, you make that promise to a few of your friends that no matter what you will stay friends for life, even after high school ends. Unfortunately, more often than not, this is an empty promise. After graduation, you talk and hang out for the summer but then when college starts the texts become less and less frequent until they stop altogether. This happens all too often, but let me tell you something: it's okay. You don't have to talk to everyone you hung out with every day during high school, you don't even have to talk to one person. Trust me, you're not a horrible person for this.
The truth is, oftentimes the people you are friends with in high school are only your friends because you spend every single day with them going from class to class or playing on the same team. This happened to me. I was close with a handful of people in high school and we all made the promise that once we graduated we would still keep in contact, hang out, and still be just as close as we were while in high school. Now, I can't even tell you what's going on in their lives other than what I see posted on their social media accounts. During my freshman year of college, especially the first semester, it really hurt me that I had no one that I was close with before close to me then. I was in a new place, surrounded by strangers, and I had no one to turn to. This sucked, like really sucked. I was hurt because those promises that we all made weren't kept. They didn't even last a month after graduation.
But here's the best part; with my "friends" gone, I realized they weren't really my friends in the first place. If these people really cared about me, they would have taken the time to stay in contact with me like I tried so hard to with them. College let me meet and become so close to the people who are my real friends, the ones who actually will reach out and hold true conversations with me without me having to initiate the conversation in the first place. Those high school "friends" helped me see who my real friends are and who will truly be there for life. For that, I thank them.
Thank you high school "friends" for teaching me many important life lessons. Thank you for teaching me that just because you spend every minute with someone for years doesn't mean that they are actually your friend. Thank you for making my heart stronger from having it broken many times for each one of you leaving me lonely. Thank you for teaching me to pick my college friends carefully so I don't go through the same ordeal as I did with you. And thank you for giving me many memories that I will remember for many years to come.
Yes, that's right, I'm thanking them for the memories they made with me. I know in the end they ended up hurting me and making me wonder why I even wasted my time with them, but I have realized that the memories we made together were some of the best in all my years of high school. From playing soccer together, to playing in the band, to having movie nights, to running around the neighborhood being stupid; all these fun adventures will always be in my mind.
Though we may not talk and I may never even cross your mind, please know that I still think of you and I still love you. If you ever need me, please text me, call me, message me on Facebook, Twitter, whatever. I will be there for you even though you haven't been there for me. The past doesn't matter. I promised to be your friend forever and I will keep my part of the promise. I may not be anything but someone to take your emotions out on, but I'll still be there for you with my arms wide open. Please know, my high school "friends," that you still have a special place in my heart and you always will. Thank you for every lesson you have taught me, every memory you've made with me, and for making me who I am today. I still love you guys and I always will.
