Throughout life, friendships and relationships are made, whether with classmates, coworkers or random strangers. However, people should not feel pressured to stay in a friendship or relationship if they don’t want to, and especially if the friendship or relationship is toxic.
As life goes on, your friends may go to different colleges or get different jobs or move to a different city. Friendships you’ve had since kindergarten may fade, and that’s OK.
A friend you’ve had since preschool may abruptly end your friendship for no apparent reason, or your partner may end your relationship. As a society, we need to accept that it’s OK to end a friendship or relationship or – on the flip side – for friendships or relationships to end.
Throughout highschool, I had many friends and was involved in multiple organizations. However, I also had some friends from middle school who went to the same high school as me.
Flash forward to present day. Out of all of the friends I had in high school, I only stayed in consistent communication with maybe two people. However, I still follow the people I don’t talk to on social media and still support their accomplishments.
It’s not out of hate or spite that I do not talk to these friends anymore, life just gets busy and people go their separate ways. Over the years I’ve come to accept that, although I’ll admit it was hard at first.
I’m the kind of person that wants everyone to like them and strives to try to get everyone to like me. In addition, once I become friends with someone, I expect that friendship to last a lifetime. I’ve learned over the years that not everyone is going to like you or be your friend and that’s OK.
Leaving a friendship can not only be OK but good, especially if its a toxic friendship. If you feel like you’re being pressured or manipulated by your friend, then its not a true friendship. Even if you were friends with someone in the past, people tend to change and you may not be compatible now.
Although I don’t expect my college friendships to necessarily last a lifetime, I feel confident that some of them will. I’ve met some of my closest friends through organizations I’m a part of at NIU, and for that I’ll be forever grateful.
Just because a friendship ended doesn’t mean there weren’t positives of that friendship. Even though the friendship may not have a future, you can – and should – cherish the fond memories made and be grateful for the laughs and love you shared.
