In highschool I was a part of a pretty big friend group. It was great. There was hardly any drama and we all got along great. Always something to do or somewhere to go, free time was always spent hanging out with this group. And even if some were busy there were so many of us I could always find someone that was free to hangout.

After graduation we all went our separate ways. Some off to school, some traveling, some on gap years working. We’d occasionally meet on Winter break or Summer holidays however nothing compared to as in school. 

I was one of the few that stayed home and took a gap year and while I have no regrets with doing that it was initially hard to watch all my friends go off and meet new people and form new groups. Watching my old friends meet new ones from the sidelines of social media was an odd feeling, of course I was happy for them but it was also super hard to not feel jealous. For anyone, the transition from a big friend group to a small one can be tough, looking back on all the fun you once had and comparing to what other people are experiencing now is no easy task but everything happens for a reason. 

Today I have a core group of my 3 friends. It’s awesome. And I know I’m lucky to have such a tight knit group of friends that I can count on any time of day. True real friends that are always down to whatever – it’s the best. However from time to time I can’t help but look back on the times where there were more than 4 of us hanging out. Especially with social media and always scrolling through videos of people hanging out with their big groups I can get jealous from time to time and miss the times that I had that. 

I feel as if there’s this whole thing surrounding that bigger is better and that in your early 20s having a big friend group is everything, living the college life and getting that experience. Going to a commuter school is definitely not like the “typical college experience” at all. I’m totally fine with that but I do feel the FOMO sometimes. 

Quality over quantity is an important motto I live by – and I for sure hone in on that with my friend group. So what do you think? Is having a big friend group important this age and am I truly missing out on a lot? Or are you a fan of the close knit small groups?  It’s easy to get caught up in the idea that bigger is better, especially with social media always in your face. But honestly, what really matters is the quality of the friendships you’ve got. I’ve realized that a small, close-knit group can be just as rewarding as being part of a bigger crowd. At the end of the day, it’s all about finding those genuine friends and those are the ones that stick around.