Throughout high school, friendship dynamics evolve. During some of the most formative years of their lives, students’ relationships come and go. Schedules change, lives get busy, but some friendships stand the test of time and become lifelong connections.. 

For some, a friend group is supposed to feel like a family. For others, it fluctuates each year with the arrival of new classes and activities. No matter the grade, every group has its own story about how friendships begin, evolve, and stay together. 

“My current friends I met through baseball… and now we’re just all together. I feel like my friend group is pretty mature for our age. I have my main group, but I have other friends I hang around with. We’re always texting every day, and we try to make plans every week.” – Julian Delgado, freshman

“Now, I have become closer to different people, but we’re still all friends. I’ll support my friends no matter what they do, because I love my friends and they’re going to have great lives. Honestly, with the right people, you don’t need to see them a lot because you just know that they’re always gonna be there.” –Lila Peterseil, senior

“I have a very small circle. Usually, if there’s something I don’t like, I’ll have a conversation [with the person], and if they’re rude, then I just don’t want to be that person’s friend anymore. Unless we have a major misunderstanding, I think [my situation] will be the same by senior year.” -Yvaine Freeman, freshman

“You have to look at the general way that they act, notice the vibe they give off, and then match them. Upperclassmen obviously are a lot more mature. They refine their circles to be their closest friends. High school changed how I think about friend groups. People I want to actually be friends with are the ones who will help me become a better person because they’re genuine.” -Dylan Traba, freshman

“My friend group never really has any issues. We often fix our disputes through boxing matches. 
Every week we have a boxing match at a park, so we really don’t have any conferences.” -Alexander Alvarez and Nathan Silva, freshmen

“My friend group that I’m closest to is pretty small. Most of them are juniors, but I also hang out with some seniors. We used to hang out after school across the street to get food before rehearsals, but now we don’t. I wish I could go back to the time when we used to all walk across the street and hang out, but I like to believe there’s more to come after [I graduate].” -Gianmarco Aca, senior

“If anyone sees me, they’re going to expect to see me with my best friends. My friends are really important to me. They haven’t changed that much, but I think our maturity together has definitely improved.” -Manny Ramirez, senior

Friendship often looks entirely different in 9th grade compared to 12th grade. Freshmen are still building connections and testing out which friendships might stick, while seniors look back on years of shared moments and friends who prepare them for what’s next.

Jacob Hladek