FRIENDS BECOME STRANGERS

I'm in my second year of college now; two years now since I left crowded, familiar hall ways of high school and entered into a new atmosphere. I've now adjusted. I've found a group of friends that I love and couldn't be happier to spend my time with laughing and telling stories that fill time we should spend working.

I'm starting to feel comfortable again and it makes me happy. I never thought I'd become comfortable in this new environment because I hate change and would rather spend my time stuck in the past than looking to the future and adapting to a new way.

When I left high school, I was full of hope that nothing would have to change and that, while we went our separate ways, we'd still make time for each other and relationships won't change and instead stay exactly the same because the the friendships made over those five years shouldn't be lost, right?

Things change and people change and, as much I don't like to acknowledge it, I change. I am not the person I was two years ago hiding in classrooms at lunch time with my head stuck in a book or getting ahead of work. I make time for my friends and make sure I enjoy my time at college.

Change has occurred and friendships that were 'supposed' to last forever haven't as friends become strangers; not even managing to hold a conversation when you see them out because everything's so different now. People change and people grow apart as we all head off in different directions. You merely become Facebook friends seeing every so often a holiday picture or two but never trying to keep the relationship alive and ongoing because you both know it's not going to work-it's too different.

In high school, you are more constrained and limited to the friends you can make and many, sadly, are just friends through circumstance and the realisation that you've wasted five years is a sad one but at least you can now move on and make friendships that are good for you.

Since leaving, I've discovered a whole group that I went to school with and said the odd hello to who have now become some of my closest friends and I'm so happy I have them. Some friends become strangers but some strangers become best friends. Not all friendships disappear with some even improving with the realisations that that friend always made you better.

Yes, I admit it, I hate that things of changed but I've finally accepted it and am happy with this new found love for change. It's time to let go of the past and start making my way forwards. 

Sarah x