It’s cloudy and storming here which is perfect for writing a personal blog post. As the school year is beginning, I contemplate the life lessons I learned through attending college. This acknowledges that friendship is a two-way street and it takes two people to maintain a friendship.

This is a simple statement yet it has taken a while to accept it. In my Freshman year, I met many people from various backgrounds and locations. Once I found someone I really clicked with, I would make time to see them. Getting coffee or studying is an easy way to get to know someone in school.  However, as time passed, I realized that I was the one putting in all the effort. Some friends never asked me how my day was or ask me to hang out. So when I decided to pull away from the friendship, the friendship ended. This always saddened me. I hate losing friends because I made fun memories with that person.

Throughout my college years at Winona, I’m glad to say that I have made some best friends here. However, as I’m becoming a Senior, I recognize some of my friendships slowly deteriorating. Maintaining my friendships is a priority in my life, so I would hope that I’m a priority in my friends’ lives as well.

When I think about what a best friend should be, I think of a couple characteristics. These include honesty, non-judgmental, trustworthiness, fun, memorable, and relaxation. A best friend shouldn’t require work. If you enjoy that person’s company, you should look forward to hanging out with them.

I think I’m a good friend. If something is wrong, I will listen to you talk. I will give advice to the best of my ability and I will always have your back. However, if I don’t feel validated or you don’t take the time for me, I will have no problem cutting you out of my life. It’s that simple.