As next year is my senior year, I can safely say that I know what has helped me though the past three years of high school. Since freshmen year, my friends and I have learned that no matter what trouble you may find yourself in, a good group of friends to hold onto is something that can never be replaced. The help and counsel that a close friend can give is something genuine that should not be underestimated.
During freshmen year, my two very close friends and I decided to start hanging out every Friday. This may seem like something mundane, but this meeting of friends every Friday is something I would never give up. Now many other high school teenage friends also get together on the weekends, yet their activities are often more superficial. Every Friday night our group, of now five guys, meet to simply talk, eat and I suppose be merry. Every so often, we will get together to have "Iron Chef Battles" where we create our own dishes to eat and share. Through this not only have we had fun, but we have taught ourselves to cook food that is not only edible, but delicious. For Prom 2009, the food was prepared by us instead of an expensive restaurant. We also have many fun activities before we sit down and just talk. These games are rather childish, yet that is why our group has become so optimistic. Finally the part of the evening where most of the priority is set on. We sit around in a circle and simply talk. There are no distractions other than the night time air and the talk of friends. To some or even most high school teenagers, this practice may seem strange. What I want any reader reading this to get out is a challenge to actually talk face to face with your friends, no cell phones, no tv or videogames. Every week we have never run out of things to talk about from religion to divorce of parents to girlfriend problems. I cannot give you a list of things you must do for something like this to work, because true friendships do not occur because of a how-to book. Friendship is made of spontaneity and comfort in who you are. However if a night where you can simply talk with your friends is not possible, I implore you to never take a friend for granted and never treat an enemy without the respect a fellow human deserves.

Christof Bentele