High School: Friendship Edition

High+School%3A+Friendship+Edition

Zitlali Montiel Martinez, Features Editor, Reporter

High school has a lot of expectations, new classes, and new friendships. Freshman year offers the opportunity to start over, but what happens to the old friendships from middle school, where do they go?

According to a new Psychological Science study on adolescence reported by New York Magazine, “only one percent of the friendships formed in seventh grade will make it through high school.”

Conducting brief interviews with my classmates on the topic of middle school friendships, I found the majority to believe that these friendships do not survive the turmoils of high school drama. My table partner, Rebecca Miranda, summarized this belief the best: “people influence you to do what you don’t want to do, but you do it to fit in. You realize that being yourself isn’t good enough for others.” While some friendships survive high school, many dissipate due to the strains and expectations set by the teenage society. While some find opportunities to rediscover themselves, others give into peer pressure and strained relationships. A fellow classmate provided me with details concerning her friendship, which has tested her dedication to school.

She began with, “We’ve been friends since middle school and coming into high school it was nice having my best friend at my side” As an eighth grader coming into high school, she was aware that things between them could possible change. She kept in mind that they were about to  start a new chapter in their lives. Yet she still hoped that they would remain strong for the next four years.

However soon enough, she saw that things wouldn’t stay the same. With a boy in the picture, a choice had to be made. They started to drift apart as her friend became closer to her boyfriend. She believes that one problem freshman face is the level of maturity, in high school it’s a lot higher, so relationship problems take more time to mend at this age.

Luckily, another school year rolled around and another chance was available for them to put their differences aside. Even though they weren’t as close as they once were, they’re still good friends. So what did she learn?

Keep in mind that you won’t always be friends with the people came into high school with. But remember that there’s nothing wrong with that. High school is a new chapter so welcome the new friendships and accept the old.