It can’t be stressed enough just how important the connections we make throughout our lives really are. Even on that very first day of school, the friends we make can have a huge impact on us for the rest of our lives.
Though we as young people sure have a lot of outside support from school, parents, and other designated places for our age group, we can never underestimate the power of friendship.
As I’ve written about before, sometimes the best people to talk to are the ones right there beside us, going through the same thing.
Though it can take some time to make proper and healthy connections with people, finding a group of even one or two individuals who just “get you” can mean everything.
Even if you’d rather not label yourself as an extrovert, even if you'd prefer to keep a low profile, you still need connections in your life.
As well as having close friends to turn to for support and understanding, making an effort to put yourself out there and be an ally to anyone who may need it is something that can open a door to finding even more people we relate to or might need us.
We also shouldn’t hold ourselves to the pressure of sticking with a person even though they make us feel bad. The people you let into your life affect you and your mood. It’s all right not to “jive” with someone and make the decision to respectfully keep your distance from them. There’s all this talk about being an independent person, or handling all your problems by yourself. However, while it is good to be able to work things out on your own, humans are social creatures and often we need help and encouragement from our friends.
Sometimes we can forget, or it can go unnoticed in the moment, but the support we get from friends is an amazing thing. Finding people who you truly belong with and who will stick with you in even your darkest hour is a real blessing.
Macy How is a grade 11 student at Brooks Secondary School.
