Maintaining Friendships in High School

Welcome to high school! The place where you’re expected to keep up with school work, extra-curricular activities, and various relationships. It looks so easy in the movies, right? Well, it may be just a little bit harder than that. However, the hardest part of high school may not homework. Choosing friends and maintaining close relationships is one of the most difficult tasks to master. 

High school is the era that sees the most changes. Everyone is trying to fit in and find their so-called “niche”. There is an important thing to remember about friendships in high school: choose quality over quantity. Some people believe having a big group of friends will be the way to survive high school; in reality, having a smaller group of friends is the best way to maintain true relationships. A great way to make friends is to find people with those same interests; it provides commonality and serves as the base of a new friendship.

“A great way to meet people is hobbies, introduce yourself the next time you’re playing basketball at the gym, maybe you guys will meet up next time,” Nick Campbell (12) said.

It’s important in any relationship to express and listen to friends. It’s natural to have feelings of anger, sadness, and jealousy in a friendship. The worst reaction would be hiding and running away from these feelings; it will not solve any disputes. 

“Conflicts are something that needs to be confronted as soon as possible, it will lead up to tension an a way bigger problem,” Campbell said.

What about when the friendship going south? What if everything has been done to try to fix it? Unfortunately, this is when you figure out if that person is someone who is supposed to be in your life. Take time to think if the relationship is worth saving; sometimes it may just not be worth the struggle. During these times is crucial to not dwell on the loss; instead, surround yourself with positive influence. After all, isn't high school supposed to be about personal growth?

“When a friendship isn't going right for me, I work and surround myself with others to make me feel better,” Isabella Villareal (11) said.

High school might seem overwhelming, but having a good support system will make high school just a little bit easier. Conflicts in friendships is sadly something that everyone will encounter. It’s okay to feel sad and confused. Remember to surround yourself with valuable people that will cherish who you are.

~Connie Wiggins- ​Assistant Editor-in-Chief