When in high school, I find it hard sometimes to maintain my friendships through the cycle of hard classes, after-school activities, and a sport that I play all year long. It leaves me little time to give back to myself, including hanging out with friends. Of course, not everyone has the same hectic schedule all throughout high school, but there are always going to be times during high school that you feel like it is becoming increasingly difficult to be able to keep up with the demands of your friends and family.
Being a high schooler is really difficult, and first and foremost, it is extremely important to make sure that you are able to maintain your own health and clear mindset before getting yourself into friendships and relationships. You need to make sure that you always know who you are and what you stand for. For example, if you know that you cannot FaceTime after 6 pm to get your homework done, do not agree to talking to your friends or your significant other if you know that could get you into trouble. Keeping your relationships in check starts with knowing your boundaries and making sure that everyone around you is doing what you feel comfortable with.
Additionally, I have found that sometimes, it is very important to have breaks from friends if you feel that you cannot be the best version of yourself with them. Sometimes, the joy you feel comes more from within than from others. Allow yourself to take that time to reconnect with who you are and then branch out to people when you feel ready to do so. The bottom line is that you come first, and even if that means you do not personally have many friends from time to time, that is okay!
Finally, I have found that the best way to manage your friends and family is by being very straight-forward. You are going through a very hectic time of your life, and the people who care about you will understand that. You will have the best relationship with both your friends and family if you make sure to always let them know how you feel to the best of your ability. If they don’t respect or listen to you, try your best to maintain your small bubble of space in which you are in control.
One thing I do want to note is that the rigor of high school is very difficult and does not allow for much time. However, that is when it is most important to be able to prioritize yourself and spend time with people if you feel that is what will make you the most happy. When you put yourself too much into a hole of school work, clubs, and assignments, it is DRAINING! That is when you need to get yourself out there the most and try your best to socialize and get out of your comfort zone. That in and of itself is also a very important learning in high school.
Maintaining friendships can be very difficult no matter what age you are! However, in high school, it should be raised to even more importance to make sure that you properly assess your friendships and relationships and see how they make you feel. During hectic and oftentimes stressful times, it is the most important to be able to have the best friends around you. Sometimes, that means not as many friends, and sometimes, it means branching out! Either way, do what makes you happy — that is key!
Please keep yourself as the number-one priority and keep reading EvieSpace for all high school content!
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