In the movie “The Big Chill,” a group of college pals spend a weekend together under the unfortunate circumstances of their friend’s death. However, the bonds that these eight friends once shared and are now renewing are unforgettable. They represent something bigger than just friendship. Their friendship reveals the connection that people share for an entire generation. When they all come together, they halt their hectic lives in the 80s and reconnect with one another.

Similar to “The Big Chill,” the TV sitcom “Friends” sparked more than just television ratings in the 90s. It revealed a society and way of life all its own. We learned the value of friendship and got a first row seat in watching the way those friends managed to keep their relationships close throughout their tumultuous lives in the nineties.

I realize that these representations of friendships are either through a movie or a TV show, and they are not reality. However, watching these movies and TV shows have had a growing effect on me that I can only hope to discover eventually in my life.

In my lifetime thus far, I have made some very close friends and developed very close relationships with people in my generation that I hope I never lose touch with. Some people leave a lasting impression on your life, and I value every second with them. Whether we like it or not, life does go on. I am a senior in high school, and plan on attending college next fall. I am going to leave Niles West High School behind, and most of the class of 2014 with it. However, my greatest wish and one aspect I hope never to lose is the strong friendships I have made with my friends here in high school.

Flash forward to 2024, ten years after we graduate; Most of us will be working at jobs that we studied hard for, getting married, having kids, or even pursuing those crazy dreams we never thought we would go through with. We probably won’t be thinking about high school, but we will never forget what these four special years meant to us. I know I won’t; and I hope I keep the friends I have made in high school. It’s not even half way through the year yet, but I just want to take a moment to slow things down and bask in the moment of being a senior. Enjoy these eight months we have left as high school students, and remember your friends. I hope the friendships I keep are the ones that truly count and will get me through the generation that we live in. The world isn’t always going to be a friendly place, but your friends will always be there for you.