Moving out to go to school has changed my concept of friendship for me. Living with my friends at school and coming back to my friends at home creates an interesting perspective on what it means to be friends. Regardless of where they’re from, the strength of my friendships hasn’t changed. My friends are an inspiration, teachers and a core foundation of my support system. From childhood to today, each of my friendships has shaped my life in ways my friends may not even know.
My friendships are a huge influence on me. They’ve influenced elective courses I’ve taken, my next book recommendation, the latest album I obsess over and more, everything from preferences to lifestyle choices. I even worked the same job as three of my closest friends for four years. We all started lifeguarding for the same organization individually and met the odd time through work. The four of us became a group through the different connections we made with each other after a couple of years. It’s funny how we all started at the same spot.
The people you associate with really affect what you do and how you act. I’m lucky to say that most of my friends have had a positive influence on me. I know that not everyone can say the same. You need to make sure that your circle reflects who you want to be. When that isn’t the case, your friendships don’t influence you in an uplifting way.
I wouldn’t call myself an overly confident person. So, confidence is a large influence my friends have had on me. Whether it looks, conversationally or not caring about what other people think, my friends carry themselves with presence. I’ve always admired that about them.
People always say that your friends are a support system. All of them have expressed to me that I could come to them and talk about anything. I know I can, but sometimes that’s easier said than done. As I’ve gained new friendships in university and strengthened existing ones from high school, I’ve learned to actually talk to my friends when I need to. Even if they haven’t had the same experiences as me, they always find ways to be comforting. Sometimes they listen to a rant. Sometimes they’re a stand-in therapist. Other times, they’ll just sit and exist with me.
There are times you didn’t know you needed someone to lean on. When my dog passed away, I mentioned it to my friends but didn’t say much beyond that. I didn’t know how much I needed them until they showed up with flowers and donuts, ready to talk to me at work. Confide in your friends regularly. Oftentimes, they know what you need better than you do.
All of my friends are beautiful people. This is my way of thanking them for everything they’ve done and will continue to do for me. To the ones who feel like sisters, who always remember to check in, the ones I could tell absolutely anything to, the ones I made first memories with, to the ones who make me feel loved, thank you.