Friendships Carry Us Through

 

In fact, studies have proven that friendships improve mental health, encourage you to change or avoid unhealthy lifestyle habits and obviously boost your happiness.

 

This year especially, as a post-grad student, I have realized the benefits of having my friends with me throughout my Stanstead experience. I have realized the importance of friendship and I have become more appreciative of my surroundings.

 

Coming back as a PG was a different story than my Grade 11 and 12 years. I was losing my friends from the year before and I was going to be surrounded by a whole different class.

 

Although I found it hard at first to not have my grade from last year with me, it was my friendships that I still had at the school that made a huge difference. During my Grade 11 and 12 years, I was fortunate enough to have my three best friends – Camille, Karel and Béa – to create memories with. This year, with a whole new grade, I didn’t know how it would go, but still having Béa and Karel made me look forward to the year and the more memories to create.

 

I think it is important for all of us to create strong friendship bonds not just at Stanstead but anywhere we go because sharing life’s moments with friends makes it all more meaningful. We should also try to keep those friendships in our lives for as long as we can, because a friend’s support will help us through life’s ups and downs.

 

To finish, I just want to thank Karel, Béa and Camille for making my experience at Stanstead even better (and to my girlfriend Béa for helping me write this speech).

 

My mom said something to me about friendships when I told her about my speech, and I would like to leave you with that:

 

Friends make the hard times more bearable and the fun times more memorable. They make moments worth living twice. They are the family you find along the way.