The high school experience I went through was undoubtedly different than most others. From sixth grade on up, I was placed in a small private catholic school where I met some of the greatest (and strangest) people I came to call my friends. I think aspects that characterized my time in high school were these: it was a small school (no more than 50-60 students from K-12 during most of my years), the school was formed by a few like-minded parents who took their children’s education very seriously, and it was deeply family based. It was because of this foundation of closeness and shared ideals, that my friends from that time are truly more like brothers and sisters to me than anything else.
It’s also true, however, that life gets between friendships as well. College, work, and other obligations don’t always allow for consistent contact or gatherings. What I’ve learned in my life is that relationships won’t grow with you unless you put in the effort to foster them. And I’m grateful that during the breaks of our lives, my friend group from high school finds their way back together.
One of my favorite traditions my friend group has is our annual greaser date. Three years ago my friend Autumn pitched the idea that we as a group dress up as the typical 1950’s greaser guys and dolls and go to era styled diner for dinner. We’ve done it four times since she suggested it. While the group gets bigger or smaller depending on the year, I think it has helped strengthen everyone’s bonds to each other. We come back each year changed and more experienced (theoretically), but we return to that mutual love of one another that has been present since we were young and will grow with us as we get older.
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