From being a friend, I have learned my most valuable lessons.
As an only child, I put a lot of myself into my friendships. When I was younger, I would call someone every Saturday and ask for them to come over. If they couldn’t, I would ask another friend, and so on. I was constantly surrounded by the people I was friends with, so naturally they taught me a lot about life.
I have learned that the easiest thing you can do is be a friend. All my friends have consistently been there for me in any situation. It amazed me how effortlessly they cared and how easy it was for them to make me feel better. All anyone could ask for is a friend to lean on in tough situations, and I’ve learned how to be that friend through my own friendships.
I have learned how to continue, even in the hardest times. All my friends have shown persistence through hard experiences. Whether it was a broken heart or a goal out of reach, they taught me what strength is. One friend repeatedly tells me that whenever I am going through something difficult, she will carry me through the storm. And I will do the same for her, and all my friends. True friendship is being able to rely on other people for your strength when you are not strong enough.
I have learned how to be creative. Most of my friends are writers, and I picked up my most valued writing techniques by reading their work. I also learned a lot from trying to write about them and convey to them just how much I appreciate them. All my friends are incredibly talented creative people, whether that be through singing, drawing, or anything else artistic.
I have learned how to accept myself. Throughout high school and even into college, I watched my friends become magnificent people. I knew they had flaws, but I still understood how to love them completely. Only then did I realize the same logic applies to myself. I have many, many flaws, but the people around me still love me! Why shouldn’t I?
I have learned the importance of being involved, whether that be in politics or my high school theatre program. Being in the theatre program gave me countless new friends and memories that I will treasure forever. Learning about politics through my friends has shown me just how much my (and other) voices matter. Why wouldn’t you want to help decide who gets to be in charge? And yes, since I mentioned politics I am going to remind you to register to vote! If you are registered but live outside of your place of registration, request an absentee ballot from www.vote.org/absentee-ballot! It takes two minutes, and I promise your voice matters.
I have learned the value of capturing a moment. I never used to understand the importance of taking photos, but now I’m constantly asking everyone I know to take photos with me. It’s the easiest way to remember a moment, plus you can keep them forever. Whenever I’m having a rough day or miss my friends, I watch old videos of us singing show tunes in the car or baking a dessert and instantly feel better. Take photos with your friends!
I have learned that the good friends will never leave you. For the longest time I was convinced that after a while everyone would desert me, and I would have to find new friends when something went wrong. Even if you get into arguments, even if you are many miles away, even if you talk once every two months or every two seconds, real friendship will not fade away. It is constant, and it is unbreakable.
I have learned how to be alone. As an only child with no one to play with, I eventually had to accept the fact that some friends don’t want to hang out every weekend. I learned how to keep myself company with my imagination, and I also finally began to understand why some people just wanted to be alone. Being alone does not mean that you have to be lonely.
Overall, I think a quote by my favorite singer, Dodie, sums it up best; “everyone is just a collage of their favorite parts of other people.” I am grateful to the people I am a collage of. If there’s any advice I could give, it would be this: make sure you revel in your friendships. They are what built you from the ground and continue to piece you back together.