I’ve always had only one best friend all my life and we’d stayed friends for 12 long years. This is probably why I thought time was what mattered the most when it comes to making good friends. It’s only a few months back that I realised that time doesn’t necessarily have to be the factor deciding friendship, or any relationship for that matter.
It was 5 months back. I had woken up and had coffee; it was the final day of my college orientation and I remember setting up the laptop and logging into the meeting. The orientation lasted for 5 hours and once I was done, I kept asking myself “Are you sure you want to go here? There’s nothing you can get here, this isn’t a place you’ve been wanting to join. Think about it.” I thought about it but I had reasons as to why I joined Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham.
Although there was a part of me that wanted to leave this college, I knew I had no choice. Regardless, I was excited on the first day; at least I’ll meet new people and make good friends. And that I did. I spoke with almost everyone in class but made only one friend; we got along real quick and that was that. Later that week, I spoke with a couple other classmates and that went well too. Some 10 days later, I was added to a Whatsapp group ‘Hoemies’. It was a group of 6 people. Initially I was doubtful as to how I would be in a friends group; would I fit in, how would they like me, what if we got into fights, what if we split up later and ended up as strangers and all the craziest things.
But how did it matter? These are people I don’t even know; if it works out, good or else, let it go; give it a try at least. I told myself. A week passed, they stayed; a month passed, they stayed. I had even become best friends with one of them; I thought “but how can I make a best friend in such a short time?” But does it actually matter? If you feel you’re someone’s best friend, then that’s enough right?
Fights followed, meetings happened, we still had fun amidst all that; I realised I had become important to some people in a very short while. There were a lot of people who hated us at one point, but I felt nothing. I was with a group of friends who loved and valued each other. They were loving, non- judgemental, respectful and caring. I, for the first time in my life, felt that I was just as important to my friends as they were to me. They made time for me, stood up for me, helped me grow; all this without even knowing me in person. At first it felt magical, like a dream that would never come true. But it was true, it was happening.
Being in a friends group always seemed cool, but does it work out every time? This is something that I was doubtful about and this bothered me; this was probably why I was never a part of one. But I am not scared anymore of them leaving. I may not have known them for a long time, I may not know them quite well now either; but I know them enough to know they’ll stay.
Some 5 months in college and a handful of friends that mean the world to me. I don’t have to pretend in front of them, I don’t have to be ashamed of being a nerd, I don’t have to regret telling them things, I don’t have to stay quiet when I don't know what they are talking about. I know they are there for me and will always be. Who would’ve thought some random strangers would grow into being my world?
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