New Friendships

I've just started college. Classes officially start tomorrow, but I've already completed my first homework assignment. For the last week, I've been running around doing orientation activities, and the week before that I was on a new student camping trip. It's been all about getting to know more people and figuring out the campus. The campus, by the way, is absolutely stunning. I'm writing this sitting by a stream in the forest not too far from my dorm. It's spectacular.
Then there's the meeting people thing. You meet a lot of people, yes, but no one really knows each other. Everyone has their best face on and is introducing themselves to everyone, trying to make sure they get the best group of friends. We've started forming groups now. Lots of groups are teams or friends from new student trips, but other groups are forming too. And I still can't help but think that no one knows absolutely anything about anyone else. You know the basics: name, where they're from, what dorm they're living in (maybe), and what they're majoring in. If you really pay attention, you might even know what classes they're taking. Now, you may be thinking, it's only the first week, of course no one knows each other yet. You would be correct in thinking that. My comment here is that we are all picking our friends somewhat randomly. And then these are our friends. Changing friends is possible, but it's not a simple thing. Then again, they also say that first semester friends never last. Now, either way, that's not so nice to think about. Either we lucked out and got great friends, or we got bummer friends that we get to change in at the semester. I dont know, it just seems a little strange. Perhaps that's because I've spent so long with the same friends. Meeting all new people isn't something I've had to do since kindergarten. Because these are the people that are going to be around for a while. You've got to pick good people.
Perhaps it's just because I'm a worrier, but I worry about picking the wrong people, or even just not the right group. It seems impossible now that I could ever be as close with these people as I was with my high school friends. But I know that we will be. It's simply interesting to reflect on how these bonds are made, how accidental and arbitrary it all is. But then, aren't all friendships that way? I'm simply experiencing new friendships at a heightened level, as we all do at this age, starting a new life.

All of that being said, I think I picked the right people. I feel good about my new life. I hope I'm right.

"Life is an awful, ugly place not to have a best friend." -Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen

I think I'm finding them, my best friends.