Here’s My Thoughts: It’s Not Too Late

One of the best pieces of advice I’ve ever received was, upon first hearing it, quite disheartening. “Don’t worry, because the people you’re best friends with freshmen year are not the people you’ll be best friends with senior year.”

     If this was your first year at WCA, and you have just found your place, this might fill your heart with terror. I know that if you had told me in eighth grade that the people I’d latched onto would change over the course of five years, I probably would have burst into tears. Don’t get me wrong—if you have stayed close with the people you met in your first year, that’s great. Deep relationships with people who know you well and know how to love you well are essential to mental health and stability.

     However, there are dangers to the mentality that we MUST stay within the same friend group bubble and never branch out. Complacency is not only a danger when you’re doing your homework, picking your college, or planning your future. Sure, it’s easier to keep the same friends you had in seventh grade, but true personal growth can happen when you learn to branch out..

     Most importantly, give people a second chance. If you hold onto bitterness against people who hurt you four years, one year, or even three months ago, you shut yourself off to new opportunities and valuable friendships. In middle and high school, a lot of negative energy and emotions go down. People have probably hurt you deeply, but the truth is, you have probably deeply hurt people too.

     Even though it’s second semester, don’t think it’s too late to make to new friends. Believe me, I’ve made some of my best friends in May. Don’t miss your chance to invest in new friendships and grow in old ones. It’s never too late.