Caroline Steidley

In my four years of high school, I was involved in pretty much everything. I was on the dance team for four years, a member of NHS, Class Committee, Circle of Friends, Waffle Club, The Kirkwood Call… the list goes on. But of all the extracurriculars and activities I did, I wouldn’t say my favorite thing about high school was any of that. It was my friends. 

Friendships can be hard. Everyone has gone through their fair share of friend groups and best friends, and I would say high school is when your friends change the most. Although I have kept most of my friends from freshman year until now, my friend group has shifted multiple times throughout the years. High school brings enough hardships and drama already. Having supportive, trustworthy friends has been the one thing that has gotten me through some of my toughest times. 

Boy problems? Friends. Stressed about something? Friends. Annoying girl at dance? Tell your friends. I could go on and on about how important it is to be able to fall back on a group of reliant and dependable people whenever something in your life is going wrong. 

So, cherish your friendships. As you go on throughout high school and one day graduate, everyone will grow apart. Take the time in high school to go out on a Friday night, even when you’re tired. Ask your friend to hang out over coffee or ice cream. Bring one of your friends who is going through something a small gift. It is so important to treat the people you love and care for with kindness. Show them they matter, and show them how much they mean to you. If there is one thing I have learned throughout high school, it is that friendships matter more than anything. Lean on your friends and tell them you love them; you never know when it could be your last time.