From kindergarten to our senior year of high school, we spend eight hours a day, five days a week with the same exact people, the classmates we have known since we were wearing plaid bermuda shorts and Abercrombie sweatshirts religiously. Once we get to high school, we become close with a core group of people. We have many friends we hang out with because of school or sports, or clubs, but only three or four whom we would go to for a shoulder to lean on.

Since I have been in high school, I have made many new friends, but I have also drifted from some. That is the way life goes, but it is especially seen during our high school years. High school is ultimately where we find ourselves and what we want to do; those we spend our time with typically complement our hobbies and aspirations. It is the goals being put into play with college right around the corner that make these friendships different.

A big realization we have as teens is that having a few solid friends is better than having 100 so-so friends. Because whether we like to admit it or not, the friends we have do define us in a way. And we should take advantage of every moment we have with them while we can. Once we are in college, the chances of staying with our best friends from high school are not in our favor. So in regard to good friendships, take them all in and live out every moment with these people until we go our separate ways.

Those of us who are going through rough patches with our friends should not worry. Sometimes friendships end, and that is a part of life. Cherish the good memories, but do not keep trying to water a relationship that is not meant to be growing any longer. We will all find our people eventually; it just takes trial and error until we get there.