Many teens feel that they are going through the darkest part of their lives. Everything seems to be changing as the world buzzes around at the speed of light. Sometimes you feel extremely happy; other times you feel like the world is going to end but usually you aren't sure about what your feelings are. All the while when this is going on, you have to deal with teachers who hate you and parents that seem to get more and more brainless each day. How is it possible to get through this? The truth is that no one can make it through this torture alone. Everyone needs help. I know that with my friends I can get out of the darkness in my life and find the light.

One of the greatest things to remember when you have a problem is to realize that you're not the only one with that problem. I have a friend who I've known for about two years now. Everything about us seems to be similar. We like the same music, we play the same sports but most of all we have the same problems. Any time I have a problem, I talk to him or when he has problems, he will talk to me. Somehow, we can always relate to each other. One time, he had a problem with this girl who had a crush on him. Sadly, he didn't exactly feel the same way for her. He wasn't sure what to do so he talked to me. We continued talking about it for a few days. Sure enough, over those few days, the same thing happened to me: a girl told me she had a crush on me and I didn't have feelings for her. The talking helped so much in order for each of us to find a solution. We both benefitted so much from having a friend going through the same thing. And that was only one example; there are countless more. If it's one thing that I've learned from having a friend like him, it's that problems aren't always there to split people apart; they can pull people together too.

I remember when I was little. All my friends were boys because "girls were icky." Now, I realize that girls are some of the most caring individuals on this planet. It's impossible to avoid the opposite gender so learning to get along with and become friends with girls is a skill that I feel has reaped many benefits for me. Having a fight with someone is a very common occurrence. Usually when two guys have a little scuffle, they don't sit down, talk about it and make up. Most of the time, they'll just move on. Having girls as friends has helped me realize that walking away and forgetting about issues isn't always the best way to deal with things. I recall one time I had just gotten into an argument with one of my friends over something so minor I cannot even remember what it is. Sadly, this minor problem turned into a big deal and we didn't talk to each other for days. Finally, one of my friends, a girl, sat me down and talked to me. I told her the whole story and I realized that avoiding my old friend was not the best way to deal with our problems. Because of her, I regained one of my closest friends and I truly believe that if I had talked to a boy rather than a girl, I would have lost a friend for good.

There are always times in life when one has no idea what to do. Sometimes the answers lie within; other times they can be found by asking a peer but many times someone older and more experienced has the wisdom to give you the answer. I, for one, could not make it through one day without having to consult one of my older friends about one thing or another, whether it be a coach or a parent or even just someone I know who is older than me. The truth is that experience give you answers to most the problems you will face in life. A lot of times, that experience doesn't even have to be yours. It can be from anyone you know; all you have to do is talk to them. Once, I was stuck in a bit of a bind. It was sixth grade and I had a project to do but no clue how to do it. Instead of asking the teacher, I just got nervous and waited to do it. Well, the project was due in two days and I still hadn't started since I didn't know what to do. Fortunately, I had a close friend who is two years older than I am. He had done the project before so he showed me how to do it and helped me to do my own project. That history project was one of the simplest, easiest projects of my life and it was all thanks to the help of a dear elder friend.

My friends are some of the people in my life who are closest to my heart. I have no clue how I could even make it through one day without even one of my friends. Guidance can be found in many places but for things your parents cannot help you with, a teenager's best resource is his friends and I find that to be very true. As a teenager, I feel that my life is horrible many times but I know I can make it out. I'm just passing through a tunnel, a dark tunnel, on my journey to becoming an adult. With friends I realize that this tunnel doesn't have to be so dark; I can find some light with my friends.