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How many people you were friends with high school and prior are you still friends with?

DragoonKain

Neighbours from Hell
Just curious. I'd say for me about a quarter of them. We didn't get into any fights we kinda just drifted apart once everyone went to college.

One of my best friends from high school who I was super close with kinda distanced himself from me after high school. At first I thought he was busy, then I eventually I got the message that he kinda just wanted to go his own separate ways.

All this craziness in the world made me kinda wanna reach out to some of them again. Some of them it's been well over a decade since we spoke. I think it's always good to have a lot of close friends in your life.

Anyone here still friends with a lot of those from HS and prior? And do you think I should reach out or let sleeping dogs lie?
 

Rbk_3

Member
Main main group of friends includes 3 guys I went to kindergarten with and 3 guys I went to highschool with.
 
we still hang out but now it's more occasional

before it was basically an every day thing to slam weed and alcohol and get on movies, shows and video games

the era of game of thrones was some good shit

life before zoomers

 

haxan7

Volunteered as Tribute
Don’t need to worry about staying friends with high school friends if you didn’t go to high school

4a5001b7beea096457f480c8808572428b-09-roll-safe.rsquare.w700.jpg
 

Dark Star

Member
This is something I think about all the time. I even graduated high school with friends that I was already close with in elementary and middle school. I didn't have the tightest knit of friends (ever) but I always had my toes dipped in different social circles. I guess I did fit in enough with to get along with everyone in high school, but not enough to become true best friends with any of them. I'd say the 5-10 friends I still keep in contact are the ones whose parents also got along with my parents (like we went to each others houses for dinner parties and stuff, hung out outside of school, shared hobbies, etc).

Facebook was one thing to keep in contact (in 2010 maybe), which helped. And Instagram, Snapchat, etc became a thing during my Senior year of highschool, so I ended up adding/following everyone on those social media platforms before we all drifted away to our college years. Yup, college was THE THING that pushed some of my friends and I away from each other for good. Some of my friends didn't go to college, so they probably felt kind of "left in the dust" when I'd reach out to them. Likewise, some of my friends went to like Ivy-league-tier universities and probably forgot all about me the moment they left town lol. I don't blame any of them for moving on and progressing in life in their own unique ways.

I tried sending DM's and stuff over the years, trying to "check in" and "link up" with certain homies during the holidays or whatever, but the conversation/plan usually fizzled out for natural reasons. Especially now with COVID-19, I've lost touch with plenty of friends that I considered at one point to be very close. Some people just can't be bothered to reply to a text message, or send one for that matter.
 
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MetalAlien

Banned
Girl on my facebook is someone I went to middle school with. I don't regularly see any of them but I have contact with a few that go back to when I was a kid.
 

DragoonKain

Neighbours from Hell
This is something I think about all the time. I even graduated high school with friends that I was already close with in elementary and middle school. I didn't have the tightest knit of friends (ever) but I always had my toes dipped in different social circles. I guess I did fit in enough with to get along with everyone in high school, but not enough to become true best friends with any of them. I'd say the 5-10 friends I still keep in contact are the ones whose parents also got along with my parents (like we went to each others houses for dinner parties and stuff, hung out outside of school, shared hobbies, etc).

Facebook was one thing to keep in contact (in 2010 maybe), which helped. And Instagram, Snapchat, etc became a thing during my Senior year of highschool, so I ended up adding/following everyone on those social media platforms before we all drifted away to our college years. Yup, college was THE THING that pushed some of my friends and I away from each other for good. Some of my friends didn't go to college, so they probably felt kind of "left in the dust" when I'd reach out to them. Likewise, some of my friends went to like Ivy-league-tier universities and probably forgot all about me the moment they left town lol. I don't blame any of them for moving on and progressing in life in their own unique ways. I've tried sending DM's and stuff over the years, trying to "check in" and "link up" with certain homies during the holidays or whatever, but the conversation/plan usually fizzled out for natural reasons.

One of my friends from HS I was super close with. We were really tight, hung out every single day. Hung out after school, etc. We both were big gamers, we talked about games all the time, shared progress, helped each other study, etc. Then once we graduated he was like yeah man keep in touch we'll hang out. I called him up a handful of times after we graduated and he never picked up. So some friends were like maybe he's busy, so I waited a couple months and tried him back and he picked up and I could tell he really didn't wanna talk or anything. So over the next year I tried a few more times he didn't pick up, I left a message(this was back when people still had answering machines lol) and I just said I hope you're well man keep in touch. This was a guy in HS who'd always pick up when I called. Then finally a few months after that I called him and left a message and was like if you wanna kinda go your own separate way it's no big deal but at least tell me so I'm not left in limbo and not knowing if you're just busy or if you don't wanna be friends or hang out anymore or whatever. I said since you've only picked up once in the last year+, I'm not gonna call you anymore, so if you still wanna be friends call me back and if not, then don't and it's no big deal. And he never called me back and that was it.

But that was so long ago, almost 20 years. I was thinking about reaching out. Even if he wanted to go his own way back then, 20 years is a long time people change. Still torn on it.
 

Dark Star

Member
One of my friends from HS I was super close with. We were really tight, hung out every single day. Hung out after school, etc. We both were big gamers, we talked about games all the time, shared progress, helped each other study, etc. Then once we graduated he was like yeah man keep in touch we'll hang out. I called him up a handful of times after we graduated and he never picked up. So some friends were like maybe he's busy, so I waited a couple months and tried him back and he picked up and I could tell he really didn't wanna talk or anything. So over the next year I tried a few more times he didn't pick up, I left a message(this was back when people still had answering machines lol) and I just said I hope you're well man keep in touch. This was a guy in HS who'd always pick up when I called. Then finally a few months after that I called him and left a message and was like if you wanna kinda go your own separate way it's no big deal but at least tell me so I'm not left in limbo and not knowing if you're just busy or if you don't wanna be friends or hang out anymore or whatever. I said since you've only picked up once in the last year+, I'm not gonna call you anymore, so if you still wanna be friends call me back and if not, then don't and it's no big deal. And he never called me back and that was it.

But that was so long ago, almost 20 years. I was thinking about reaching out. Even if he wanted to go his own way back then, 20 years is a long time people change. Still torn on it.

Damn. Sorry to hear that. I used to be friends with a guy (let's call him "Steve"). I knew this dude since like 3rd grade, no joke. We went to elementary school, middle school AND high school together. We often had the same lunch periods, and even shared a few classes through the years. We always had something interesting to talk about, and we shared plenty of hobbies. We used to hang out outside of school occasionally, too. When we graduated high school it was awesome, we went to a bunch of concerts and did all kinds of fun stuff together that summer.

But then summer vacation ended. I went to college...and he didn't. I tried keeping in touch with Steve, but he seemed to have given up on reaching out to me. During Winter-break that year, I called/texted Steve to hang out. He straight up told me he had a lot on his plate and was busy. Then Spring-break rolled around and I messaged him again. Same deal. Then a year later I texted/wished him a Happy Birthday and he didn't even respond. I didn't try again after that. It was like 7 years ago. I never wanted Steve to think I "left him in the dust" but that's probably how he felt. At the time, I naively didn't even think going to college was a big deal, and I never even mentioned it in conversation with him. Now I'm mature enough to realize that it's just one of those things that separates young (late-teens/20-something) people, unfortunately.
 
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JimiNutz

Banned
0
But I made that decision at the time, it hasn't happened over the years.

We all went off to college in different parts of the country and I knew that I'd realistically meet new friends and forget about them, so I didn't make any effort to stay in touch.

I am still friends with people from college though.
 

xrnzaaas

Member
4 people from my highschool class, not anymore for various reasons. One of them died from a heart condition, one turned out to be an asshole (which I started realizing when we were still in school), two moved far away and we've lost contact (I'm from the era when we still didn't have any social media ;)).
I am still friends with my "main" friend from primary school, majority of the class were awful people so I'm not really sad I've lost contact with them.
 
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AV

We ain't outta here in ten minutes, we won't need no rocket to fly through space
I've known my best friend since we were 3, and still friends with another I met in primary (elementary). That's it. Everyone else are acquaintances at this point.

The older you get the more you realise how much effort it is maintaining a large group of friends while trying to have your own shit to do.
 
Zero. Although in fairness we were all utter wankers and had stopped talking even before the end of secondary school.

But I married my best friend, and we're more than content to be antisocial together.
 

DragoonKain

Neighbours from Hell
Damn. Sorry to hear that. I used to be friends with a guy (let's call him "Steve"). I knew this dude since like 3rd grade, no joke. We went to elementary school, middle school AND high school together. We often had the same lunch periods, and even shared a few classes through the years. We always had something interesting to talk about, and we shared plenty of hobbies. We used to hang out outside of school occasionally, too. When we graduated high school it was awesome, we went to a bunch of concerts and did all kinds of fun stuff together that summer.

But then summer vacation ended. I went to college...and he didn't. I tried keeping in touch with Steve, but he seemed to have given up on reaching out to me. During Winter-break that year, I called/texted Steve to hang out. He straight up told me he had a lot on his plate and was busy. Then Spring-break rolled around and I messaged him again. Same deal. Then a year later I texted/wished him a Happy Birthday and he didn't even respond. I didn't try again after that. It was like 7 years ago. I never wanted Steve to think I "left him in the dust" but that's probably how he felt. At the time, I naively didn't even think going to college was a big deal, and I never even mentioned it conversation with him. Now I'm mature enough to realize that it's just one of those things that separates young (late-teens/20-something) people, unfortunately.
Part of me thinks it’s ok for people to just drift apart, that’s what happens. But then I look at my friends who I’m still super close with and have known since I was like 7 and we never grew apart. So sometimes I’m like it doesn’t have to be that way you don’t have to grow apart, especially in instances like your story where there was nothing truly separating you. You didn’t get into a fight that made your friendship irreparable. You didn’t move to another country. I think when friendships drift apart like that it’s because one of the parties or both didn’t put forth the effort to keep it going. In your case it seems like it was your friend.

I like having close friends, I think it’s healthy so I’m always curious why one party decides not to put the effort in. Maybe they’re just wired different and don’t feel the same way. Maybe it’s something deeper psychologically. I always had a theory about my friend from high school. He kinda got picked on in high school by this group of kids. He got picked on by the athletic jock kids who looked down on the nerdier types. I was kind of a nerd, but also athletic, I played basketball in HS so I knew a lot of the kids who’d start shit with him and played basketball with them and told them to lay off and they did out of respect to me. But some I didn’t know still fucked with him. So anyway I always felt like he couldn’t wait to graduate and get the fuck out of there so he wouldn’t be picked on anymore and college was kind of his way out of that atmosphere. And I always felt I was kind of that remnant linking him to a past he wanted to move on from and leave entirely in his past. I can’t prove it, but I always got that sense.

But I think it’s different for everybody why relationships end, but I do think if people cared enough more people would stay friends for longer.
 

NecrosaroIII

Ask me about my terrible takes on Star Trek characters
I moved out of state my junior year of college. I havemt kept in touch with anyone from before

My best friend is someone I knew from high school. We've become like brothers. I know a bunch of people I've known from college still.
 
Hell yeah i do. We may not see eachother like old times(kids,jobs,life) but what i tell them. Just because we dont talk as much as we used to. Doesnt mean for a second i still dont think about them😊
 

teezzy

Banned
A lot of my friends got super into heroin and Alex Jones.

As a result, I chill with a clique from the neighboring high school. They kind of adopted me.
 
I only have one friend left from High School that I hang out with. We didn't speak for years but then one day we bumped into each other and reconnected. We usually go to baseball games together so this year has been a wash but we're planning to hang out Sunday.
 

Sakura

Member
4. Two from like Grade 1, other 2 from high school. We still chat in discord every day and play games together.
 

GAMETA

Banned
I don't think I have friends friends anymore... If I see someone from the highschool group (we were 5) we'll "celebrate", buddy hug and spend some minutes talking and asking how things are going, but that's it. We don't go out anymore or have an actual connection other than the past.

Things changed drastically after my son was born, I was 21 and couldn't keep going out and getting drunk (which we'd do all weekeds, lol).. but the group was already fading anyway, everyone going to diffefent places, so that was going to happen one way or the other.

Same happened with my cousins, we were very close but everyone eventually had their own lives, with work and wifes and kids... that's life, I guess.

Good times, man.
 

Kadayi

Banned
From then? Just a couple, but I moved away from where I grew up around the end of school/college, so keeping in contact with people was hard. You move on in life, and at the time, there's some immediacy, but distance is a real test tbh.
 
still in contact with 2 friends from high school very often. have a couple friends from middle school also but only talk kinda rarely.
 

TaySan

Banned
From my Senior year i still have them as friends on FB, but i haven't talked to them really since i moved out of state. I wanted to restart my life from scratch.
 

lock2k

Banned

None as well.

I studied in many different schools and I ended up not getting attached to anyone. It was easy (still is) to adapt to new situations but, at the same time, I feel like I'm a colder person because of it.
 

Skyfox

Member
I'm nearly 40 and I've only 1 real friend left.

I have siblings and I'm married with a child of my own and my parents are still alive though.

I have had so many great friends over the years. Things been a bit dry the last few years as my life was in a bit of a mess and I had to sort it out.

I miss my old friends though.

Like Dragoonkain above I did reach out on more than a few occasions to people who used to be amazing friends but it just fizzled out.

It is possible to make new friends though and my life is in a better place at the moment. I do feel content when I talk here and on 9gag and I do have my own closest friend still. We've drifted a little lately but hopefulily we will stay strong.

I remember as a teenager I wrote an essay in English class about friendship. My English teacher was this depressed cynical dude so I decided to take the piss out of him with this ridiculously sarcastic take on friendship.

He absolutely LOVED my take without realising I was just having a laugh at him. The essay basically ridiculed friendships as circumstantial and temporary. Guess my English teacher has the last laugh but there are still new friends to be made.
 
I'm nearly 40 and I've only 1 real friend left.

I have siblings and I'm married with a child of my own and my parents are still alive though.

I have had so many great friends over the years. Things been a bit dry the last few years as my life was in a bit of a mess and I had to sort it out.

I miss my old friends though.

Like Dragoonkain above I did reach out on more than a few occasions to people who used to be amazing friends but it just fizzled out.

It is possible to make new friends though and my life is in a better place at the moment. I do feel content when I talk here and on 9gag and I do have my own closest friend still. We've drifted a little lately but hopefulily we will stay strong.

I remember as a teenager I wrote an essay in English class about friendship. My English teacher was this depressed cynical dude so I decided to take the piss out of him with this ridiculously sarcastic take on friendship.

He absolutely LOVED my take without realising I was just having a laugh at him. The essay basically ridiculed friendships as circumstantial and temporary. Guess my English teacher has the last laugh but there are still new friends to be made.
The teacher part... i felt that.
 

GamingKaiju

Member
0

I was friends with a few of them but we kinda stopped talking when I had a kids. There was one friend that kept contact with me, went to his wedding and everything had a catch up and he invited me to his sons christening but my car broke down on the way and he stopped talking to me, guess he thought I was talking shit and cba to go 🤷‍♂️

If I’m honest I’m kinda glad I was a shy introvert at school. memories that I prefer to forget about and just live for the present/future.
 
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Uusis

Banned
0 but that was because they had kids and i don't want any. My sisters have plenty so I have had my share for those little fuckers so I don't plan to have any, ever. Awful things.
 

StormCell

Member
Wow, GAF, we're all kinda hitting the same feels at the same times. One of the reasons I moved back to the TN Valley was because I was homesick. I left high school kind of abruptly and then it was all college and then career and marriage.

Sadly, I'm coming to realize I don't have any friends from high school. I thought I did or would if I reconnected with some people, but even the ones I kept in touch with after high school have drifted away. I chalk some of it up to being busy and absorbed in their immediate lives, but it does also seem like some people don't want to catch up. I mean, if you weren't thrilled about where you're at now, would you really want to have to share that with someone whose life looks neat and together? I at least have taken it that way, which bothers me a bit because... well, I just don't see it that way.

People I know from college is a totally different story though. They're always eager to catch up and hear about what's going on. We all have a nose for keeping our professional networks intact, I guess. College and work connections equals $$$$. :)
 
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