Selection.

 If you have not gotten the message from my previous posts, here it is again: High school is tough. Sleep deprivation, the rising of stress and anxiety levels, and the wonderful thoughts of our peers of our every move make it quite the experience. Things that make everything worth while, however, include acing a test studied hard for, winning competitions in sports, and experiencing it all with good people, your friends. 

One thing you need to know about people in high school is that they will change. Experiences that individuals encounter define them as a person and will change who they are, it's inevitable. The may also change their relationship with you. I have had many best friends, many different types of friend groups, and also feel at times I and just floating along the timeline not tethered to anyone.  So before I explain how I believe you should select your friends, I want to establish the fact that they may not be there forever. Although that is what would be the ideal scenario which we all hope for, a lot of times this does not happen and it is good to have already accepted it. With that in mind, when choosing friends I would stay away from the ones who enjoy bringing drama with them wherever they go, the falling out with those friends will be painful and long-lasting. 

The ultimate advice I can give you to get you through high school is to surround yourself with good people. If you surround yourself with good people, who have the same goals as you and believe the same things, you will have a solid base for whenever you may stumble.  Now know that people like this are difficult to come by sometimes, but that does not mean you should ever stop looking. As an upperclassmen, I have discovered that there are few whom which I would call my dearest friends. A lot which I do not see everyday. Some have moved to other states, others have gone to college, and yet others still who I compete with in my sporting events. Having friends you talk to every day is nice, but you might not see your closest friends every day. If you do, know you are a lucky individual, not all of us are able to.  Do not get me wrong, there are plenty of people at my school which I would call my friends, but there are few who I would call and let all my problems out to. When you find someone who you can stand most of the time, make sure to hold them close, but know you or them may change as time goes on. One thing is for sure though, high school is a lot easier with your friends.

JSL