Try to give in your friendships but don’t be so giving that people take advantage of you. Try to stand up for what’s right for you.

     This one is crucial, the reason being that often people stick to their friend groups and are unwilling to make other friends. Throughout high school I had a close friend group, we used to do everything together. Be it going out to movies, having sleepovers, or just hanging out a school. This was nice because it brought a sense of brotherhood between us, however, it was problematic because even though I knew people who were going to my college, I never talked to them so unlike a lot of people from my school, I didn’t come to college with any friends. This forced me to rely on hanging out with my roommates, which was fine in the beginning but became problematic once our friendships broke down. What I realized was that relying on one person or two to be your friend too much can be a problem, you should be willing to make more friends and not just stay in a bubble.     After learning this lesson I started to be more outgoing and tried to make friends wherever I go and it helped because I found people that I had a lot in common with. I was able to only broaden my friend group but I was able to learn new things. Always being willing and open to making friends can help you discover about yourself that you never knew. It also can help you get away from toxicity because you're less reliant on their support. You will be able to distinguish between toxic versus real friends because the more friends you have, the chances of you making a real one is higher.

    Personal Goal :Never ignore a person just because there not your friend yet. Even if you don’t end up becoming your friend, just be willing to talk with people. Don’t ignore those who initiate conversation.

And always remember….

“Never leave a friend behind.” -- Dean Koontz