In every High School movie, there are always cliches: jocks, cheerleaders, Goths, nerds, band kids, stoners, and the nobodies. Then there are the people who do not really fit into any category, they are just here for themselves and only themselves. High School can be challenging, only because everybody is just trying to find their own way, they are learning to come out of their shells, learning to take on new experiences, and learning to navigate tricky situations. However, what the movies do not show is that sometimes friendships do fall apart. 

Friends are the building blocks of a high school career. Without them, a person feels empty, alone, and unwanted. Society, family, and other influential figures in our lives emphasize the importance of making new friends. The first thing I was told by my family on the first day of school was “Make new friends.” It is just a natural survival instinct. Therefore, it is hard to deal with the actuality that “Best friends today, can be strangers with memories tomorrow.”

Growing up includes having to overcome many, many obstacles. Friends are just one of them. The important thing to realize is even if a friendship ends, usually it means there is a new one waiting around the corner.

Some tips for anyone who is struggling right now: Kill with kindness, it never fails. Staying honest with each other is crucial, trying to lie or deceive someone behind their back will only cause so much more tension. Proving loyalty shows the other person that there is true depth in friendship, and it is not just one-sided. Knowing when to back away, when the situation is too toxic, is extremely important. Do not let anything hold you back, only you know what your limit is.

The hardest part is letting go; there are five stages of grief: Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and Acceptance. Acceptance is the golden ticket in life, it is what allows a person to keep moving forward. Life does not just slow down, time does not freeze every time something goes wrong. It might seem that way now but as humans we are meant to progress in the world. This includes keeping some people in our lives and letting go of others.

Always remember when the director says, “Cut” and the cameras turn off, the actors return to normalcy and go about their own reality. We aren’t actors, we live in a real world, with real heartbreak, and real sadness.

Links for more information:

6 Signs That it’s Time to Let Go of a Best Friend 

https://www.realsimple.com/work-life/family/relationships/why-adolescent-friendships-end