Why my school friends have a very special place in my heart.

Amanda, myself, Alicia and Lisa ready for a school social!

My mum always said enjoy school because they are the best days of your life. I used to go “whatever mum” I can’t wait to party, be independent, leave my small town, travel and meet new and exciting people.

Lisa, Me, Kiah and Meg on our Dutton Bay trip that we have been doing "annually" since 2003 when Lisa left to Boarding School in Adelaide. We try to all come back together near Christmas even for a night to catch up.

I know some can’t wait to leave school to get away from the people, and I understand that, teenagers can be mean. I know that not everyone is still close with their school friends, and that’s okay, you’ve chosen different paths, but for 13 years of your life, you were forced to grow up with certain people whom you attended the same school with.

Me, Tegan, Lisa, Alicia, Amie, Emily and Amanda all dressed up in our school uniforms!

While I don’t miss the school smell, the bitchy teenage years, the omg how dare the year 9s not have any cellulite, and some of the teachers, I do miss seeing my school friends every single day.

Amanda, myself and Amie at Australia Day 2011.

I grew up in a small country town of 1,000 people. My first ever lecture at university had more people in it then my entire school of 300 students ranging from Reception to Year 12. I remember wearing my Year 12 jumper to uni one day and someone asking if the names on the back were my home group. They were shocked when I said that the 30 names was my entire class.

Me (born on the 6th of March), Amie (the 11th of March) and Ash (the 9th of March)

And you know what, I wouldn’t change a thing about my upbringing and schooling.

I was born in the same week, in the same hospital, as two of my best friends, Ash and Amie. This year we celebrated turning 24 together.

I have known some of my school friends for my entire life. That’s a friendship spanning 24 years.

Kiah and I being dorks in high school.

Our friendships and catch ups have changed over time.

 I remember all dressing up as the Spice Girls. I was “the manager” because I couldn’t sing to save my own life! I remember trudging through salt lakes together, camping out around a fire scaring each other whenever we heard strange sounds, we’ve seen each other go through boyfriends, giggle about our first kisses, seen each other with chunky braces on our teeth, watched each other excel at school, win ribbons at sports days, gotten our periods, go through the hormonal teenager years, seen cellulite grow on our legs and our underarm hairs develop.

Elke, Me, Amie, Evi and Lisa went swimming on the Great Barrier Reef in Cairns.

In Year 11 and 12 we were lucky enough to have exchange students from all around the world come and visit our tiny little town. They came from Belgium, Italy, Norway, Austria, America and the Netherlands. Those girls opened our eyes up to different cultures and the idea of travelling the big wide world! Since then, many of us schools girls have been to visit them in their home countries and they've been back to see us!



The sexy year 12 jumpers. Me, Elke and Victoria our exchange students from Belgium and Ash.



We all left school at 17 and 18 ready for the big wide world. The majority of us moved away from our small town to pursue tertiary study.

Seven years on from school we have a wool classer, a physiotherapist, a nurse, an accountant, a marine biologist, a media and language specialist and a business woman amongst us.

Beach bums. Kiah, Meg, me and Amanda.

All of us have travelled the globe. From Thailand to Cambodia, to Italy, France, Amsterdam, South Africa, Canada, New Zealand, Indonesia and beyond.

Two of us are married, two engaged, one pregnant, some single and ready to mingle, some in long term relationships, some living together, some living apart, some buying houses, some partying up a storm, many volunteering their time at their sporting clubs, some studying and most working full time.

Lisa and me!

Even though we are all on different paths and at different stages in our lives, I know I can always pick up the phone at any hour of the day for a chat with them.

Whenever we catch up, it’s like nothing has changed. We all have different opinions based on our life experiences since school, but we aren’t afraid to voice them amongst each other.

Sexy. Marie our exchange student from Norway, Kiah, Meg and myself.

We’ve had our ups and downs. At different times we are closer to different people amongst the group depending on what our priorities are and what stage of our life we are at.

At the end of this year, things are going to change even more for my friends as we all start to move away from Adelaide. I am the first of the girls to return to our small country town to nest.

We loved to dress up. Punk night. Ash, Alicia, Kiah, me, Victoria and Amie.

I don’t know where our lives are going to take us. I don’t know where we’ll be in 20 years time. But I do know that I will always share a very special bond with these girls. I know that I can always count on them to be there when I need them, even if it’s in the virtual world of Skype, Facebook and phones.

Our Year 12 Graduation in 2005. Amanda, me, Amie, Kiah, Alicia and Meg.

These girls are more than friends to me, they feel like family.

Alicia, Kiah, Amie, myself and Lisa out on the town in 2011 ( I think it was).

 

I know one day, when I have kids, that they will call the girls aunty such and such. And I know they will dose them up with sugar, run a muck with them, and hand them back more hypo then they were given to them!

Lisa, Amie, Mick (my partner), Lenard (Ash's fiance), Ash, Me, Evi, Kiah and Elke (the exchange student from Belgium) in 2009 on a wine tour!

I hope my kids are fortunate enough to have great school friends like I have!

Are you still in contact with your school friends? Why/why not?

Amanda's wedding in 2009. Evi, me, Meg, Amie, Amanda (the bride!), Lisa, Kiah, Ash and Elke.What a special day.

Look after yourself and those around you,

Kirsty xxx