A group of little girls playing outside. The sky as blue as the ocean and the sun shining through the trees as little girls gallop through the field at their school. Each one has a doll and play the role of a mother. Its funny how playing a game as ridiculous as  “house” in kindergarten could help shape your future or who was in it.
We’ve been friends since kindergarten, and it has been an utterly eventful ten years. From staying up and having endless chats, to crying over the sad movie we just went to see, our friendship seemed indestructible. When you are younger, everything is much simpler. When the comes and you have to decide what high school you are going to, usually where your friends are going is an important factor. What if your friends were all going to different high schools? Which one would you choose? Within eighth grade I had three best friends, two choose that they were going to Immaculate Heart Academy, whereas the other chose to go to public school. I found myself questioning which high school to go to. My brother went to a private school just like IHA, whereas my sister went to public school. I felt very confused as to which path would be the best for me. What if I chose a school and then ended up hating it? What if I was no longer friends with my friend(s) that went to the other school?

I decided to shadow IHA just to get a feel of what it would be like if I chose to go there. After shadowing IHA, I loved it and figured since more of my friends were going there and my cousin goes there that I should go too. I thought my decision had been made and I was relieved.

As our eighth grade year continued to go by fast, something unpredicted had unfolded. It turns out friendships are destructible, for my friend and I had gotten into a fight with my friends going to IHA. The worst part being we didn’t think it could be resolved. It was weird not being in contact with them. Like a baby bird forced to leave its nest for the first time and fly, I had come to an abrupt decision. I was going to public high school…

As the year progressed, my excitement towards going to high school had only become stronger.  I met girls from Wyckoff and Oakland who were going to public high school and was genuinely happy with my decision.

After high school started, I could not have wished to go to another school. Just recently, I had to go to a class after school in order to get my confirmation in May. When I saw my old friends there, there eyes were cold. As I approached them and tried to be friendly, there faces lit with warmth. Everything seemed as normal as day. The day after, I had a paddle practice with them. After the practice, I stayed and had dinner with them to catch up. I was surprised to see how much they had changed. The girls I was friends with in eighth grade had definitely grown up. Seeing them had allowed me to realize why we had split up. They longed for something more, whereas I was perfectly fine with our small group of friends. For so long, I had been upset about the fact that we weren’t friends anymore, but when I saw them it reminded me how much better off I was without them. If we hadn’t gotten in that fight, I would’ve been at IHA.

I wouldn’t have known all my new friends, and I would’ve left the only friend who has stuck by my side since kindergarten.

While most friends come and go, there is always someone who is willing to stick by your side through thick and thin. What I experienced within eighth grade allowed me to interpret something I had never considered before. I realized the true value of friends and how much they impact your decisions. I can unquestionably state that if I went to IHA I would not be the same person that I am right now. It’s weird to think that one split second could have changed my life’s entire meaning without me even realizing it. Making decisions is a vital part of society, and those decisions help to define a person's entire meaning.

Those little girls no longer play in the field. While the vast land is only a picture in my brain, I still remember those simple days, and most importantly those young girls. Although those girls no longer rely directly each other for happiness, they still rely on one thing, friendship.