Friends

So I was thinking today, and I realized that I finally feel like I have actual friends here in DC. Granted, I felt that before, but a lot of the people I was hanging out with I knew through LC, and while I could call them and such, I feel like these are my people, lol. Tonight for example, I went out with Charlotte, Andrew, Jamie, and Andrew's friend Matt. This is nothing big or anything, but I took the initiative, and we decided to meet up for a happy hour deal. We laughed, talked, had memories to discuss, and it was just a good time that I hope to repeat.

I guess the point is that at this stage in my life, I feel that it is a weird situation. You have friends from high school and your hometown, but you don't really talk to them as much as you used to as you are growing apart and people change. Then there are the college people who you were with 24/7 during those four years, but looking back, for some of them you wonder why, and for others you wish you had spent more time with them. In any case, they tend to be from all over, so once again, communication just doesn't happen very often, even when you want it to. Then you get to the stage I am in now: post grad, but still in school. I want to make friends with the people in my program, but I feel like many of them are still tied to college friends or family at home, and others are just stupid and I have no idea how they made it this far. So then you are left with making friends at work. Sadly, my work is Gap, and while I have actually made some friends there, real, solid friends are few and far between. And I did make "friends" at State, but they were all way older than me, and so that didn't gel.

So how are we supposed to build our circle when we are (relatively) young and on our own in a new city? Roommates are a starting point, but they cannot be the end point. Same with school and work I suppose. I guess this means I need to get out more and find something I enjoy that I can meet people through. Similar interests=possible new friends?

In the meantime, back to the original thought, I am ridiculously happy that I did this Italy program. Not only did I get to live in a Villa, learn amazing stuff, and travel throughout the country, but I feel like I made some true friends. I think Charlotte and I will definitely stay friends, and I hope to meet up with Pat (and Jillian) more here in DC as well. Andrew, who I knew from school, and I got closer as well. There are a few others I think I will stay in touch with too. At least I hope so. At any rate, tonight was a good night, and I hope to continue to slowly branch out, spread my wings, bloom, whatever metaphor you choose, and meet more people and just do more. We shall see. It all sounds good now, but I have to make sure not to be all talk and no action.

In any case, yay for friends :-)