University can be a time of such a big change, especially if we are leaving our hometown for it. So much happens in the area of friendships but it’s not often realized at the time, it just sort of happens. It’s such an important time for friendships though that I thought it worthy of an article as we all go through this at some point in our lives, most often first when we attend University.
The First Friends
So lets start here, with our first friends. These are the friends that we grew up with. The friends that we experienced so many firsts with – first scrapes on the knees with, first formal dances with, first car…. So many firsts. As we transition to University, even if we stay in town, often these great bonds are weakened, especially if these friends are not attending University with us.
While it a be a time of growth and transition for us, sometimes these friendships go by the wayside. Perhaps we’ve outgrown them, but perhaps they are just ones that need some extra attention at this crucial time. Life-long friends are something that we will never find again later in life. Let’s not hesitate to look back to our first friendships and make sure we aren’t leaving behind any friendships that we haven’t outgrown. These friendships are too just priceless to lose inadvertently.
The New Friends
University is a great time to make new friends! Often you find yourself bonding over common interests in classes, forming friendships from dormitory life, or simply meeting new people on campus.
First, let’s face it, pre-University life isn’t always a fun time for everyone. University is a chance to start fresh, put a new foot forward, and make new friends. This could be the opportunity that changes the landscape of the life of many. It’s a time to make the most out of the best of University. And there’s so much there to take advantage of – social clubs, common interest clubs, fraternities and sororities, and study buddies!
These friendships too come at a crucial point in our life. University is one of life’s critical stages of our life; who we meet during it can mean everything to us. They are they for the initial challenges and fears, they support us during the hard classes, and they are there for the fun new University events! These new friends can be friendships we hang onto throughout our careers, career changes, and major life events.
Friendships
Whether they are old friends or new friends, I think that the key is that they are friends. While unfortunately we tend to outgrow some of our great initial friendships, let’s not forget that there may be many that you can carry through your whole life. Those are such precious friendships and lucky are those that have them! Let’s make sure not to lose track of them in the course of all the transitions that come with University. And for the new friends, these too can become life-long friends.
I would be remiss if I didn’t note too that while friendships are priceless, friends can also be part of your network as you close in on your career during and after University. Keeping close these relationships tight may just help you land your next job. Or, perhaps, you can leverage your connections to help someone else network into a new position! A strong network is key and friendships are included in that network!
Share With Us Your Friendship Stories
Do you have friends that you’ve known your whole life? Some friendships that you’ve outgrown? Have you developed new friendships at University?
Comments