Growing up, I was always told that everything would change in high school. I was warned to be ready for new passions, feelings, friends, and perceptions that were soon to come.

I never believed this would be true. At the age of 14, I thought I had everything figured out, but it only took a few days of being in high school for me to realize the stigma was correct.

As my freshman year began, I quickly realized that all of my previous friends had joined different groups and were no longer my best friends. Because of this, I panicked, but I found myself starting to hang out with a new group of people who I grew very fond of.

The closer I grew to these people, the more I noticed that they were very negative and were slowly tearing me down. I knew I had to break off the relationships I had worked so hard to build, but that was much easier said than done. I was finally comfortable with a group of people and felt like I finally belonged somewhere, but I now had to destroy the bridges that were just built.

I was terrified that I would end up being the kid who sat alone at lunch again, but as soon as I started to move on from the toxic people who I had surrounded myself with, I found friends who truly cared about my well being. These friends built me up and helped me become a better person – they were everything I had ever hoped for.
I have lost contact with some of these friends, but the rest are some of my closest friends to this day.

High school is a crucial point of development in teenagers, so it should be handled by surrounding yourself with things that make you happy and people that support them.

Things change and that is alright. Becoming distant with old friends and making new ones is a part of growing up; it is part of growing into someone new.

In high school, challenges will surround you and you must be able to face anything that comes in your direction. Good friends will go through struggles with you and helping you through any tough situation.

It is never selfish to leave friends who are not putting effort into the relationship or not benefiting you. In the end, change will bring strong, unbreakable friendships into one’s life. Embrace change, for it is what makes a life worth living.