Graduation is right around the corner. Not for me, but some of my best friends are graduating this semester, and I’m feeling a little uneasy.
In high school, we saw people every day during a certain amount of time, and that was it. We felt like those bonds were going to last. In college, there’s an entirely different sentiment. You truly grow up and create a bond with people because you’re exposed to high stress situations.
I look back on the amount of times I’ve freaked out over finals or was sloppy during a night out and realize that I’ve been very transparent with these people. My college friends have seen me at my best and worst because that’s just what happens when you live in the same building or have the same classes.
A lot of my friends are moving on to bigger and better things in life, and there’s a part of me that feels sad that they’re leaving me in the dust at Plattsburgh. But at the same time, I know that the unexpected and uncertainty of the future can be a beautiful prospect. When I was a freshman, a lot of my friends transferred out after being there for a year, and so by sophomore year, I felt like I was starting fresh. There was a part of me that also wanted to transfer out, but I stayed put and hoped for the best.
Since then, I’ve made so many more friends and really allowed myself to expand my horizons and meet new people. I have friends in my major, friends in my building, the friends I go out with, the friends I meet through my job, and the list goes on. I look back on the close-knit group of friends I had my freshman year and realize how much they set me back by sticking with them 24/7.
I felt a little too secure with them, and that made me co-dependent on their company.
Now, I have a much easier time thinking about my future, and I don’t necessarily worry about if my friends will always be there for me. Instead, I just have a batch of fond memories of movie nights, family dinners, beach days and get togethers to look back on.
I’ve met a lot of amazing, dynamic people being here, and with a chunk of my friends leaving, I hope to continue to meet more people and harness new relationships.
Email at Kavita Singh at cp@cardinalpointsonline.com
