National Friendship Day

Devin Owen
MSMU Class of 2026

(8/2023) There are billions of people in this world, and somehow, we only meet a small section of the population—and out of this small section, there are only a select few who fall into the category of friendship. I wonder if anyone reading this knew that there is a day dedicated to just that: friendship.

National Friendship Day falls on August 26th and is a day which reminds us to recognize the friendships and bonds which we have built over the course of our lives. I would consider myself to have had quite a few insanely impactful friendships over the years. Some of the people I was friends with in high school I no longer speak to, and some of them I haven’t lost contact with for a single day—it’s crazy how that works, isn’t it?

People come and go from our lives; yet, I am lucky enough to have had one person stick by my side for the last decade—my best friend, Madyson. We have been attached at the hip since we were seven years old, and, having seen each other at our highest and lowest points, there’s not much that could surprise either of us. This particular friendship began in second grade, on the playground during recess, and has continued through the divorce of both of our parents, different relationships and friend groups, high school, and then us moving hundreds of miles apart. Through every phase of our lives, we have always had the other there—whether in person or in heart, we are always with one another. And with connections as strong as ours, comes a plethora of memories worth honoring.

For my birthday in eighth grade Madyson gave me a "jar of memories," which was a mason jar filled with sticky notes depicting the things she loves about me, her favorite memories, and just things she wanted to tell me. I open the jar anytime I feel sad or homesick. The surprising number of memories we had made in a short period of time, now feel like a lifetime ago. I remember this one day when we had a ‘best friend date’; we had our parents drop us off at Panera and we had lunch—where I wrapped a piece of bread in a napkin and stuck it in my purse (attempting to embrace my inner Aladdin)—and then we walked to mini golf, where Mads got attacked by a bird. I don’t think I have ever laughed so hard in my life!

There were also the less happy times we faced together, though; but for every single one of these times, I had this tall, blonde, goofy girl standing beside me, holding my hand through it all. At this point, we don’t consider ourselves as just friends, but rather sisters. This was made evident in a text she sent me when she told me she was moving to North Carolina—the furthest we have ever been from one another in our lives: "I could never forget about you, you’re my little Devy, my sister, my partner n crime, and my forever maid of honor and don’t you forget that." This friendship turned into a sisterhood, and for that I am so incredibly lucky—so incredibly loved too.

Speaking of sisterhood, National Friendship Day just-so-happens to fall on my oldest sister’s birthday! In a way, siblings are the first friends you ever make. Regardless of how many fights you have and the growing up or apart, your siblings are essentially where you learn what friendship is. My oldest sister, Brooke, is probably one of my best friends now. We experienced things growing up that brought us extremely close and made it easier to lean on one another. As weird as it is watching your best friend get married, having kids, and becoming their own person with their own life, it’s also really cool getting to be a part of it all along the way.

Whether it’s with siblings or friends, one of the best kinds of friendships, in my opinion, are where you have someone in your life who knows you better than you know yourself—because these types of friends are those who will call you out when you need it most. As hard as it is to be called out, it’s also great because they make you realize that you do have people in your life who have your back; people who want you to be the best version of yourself.

Nonetheless, all friendships change and evolve and change over the years. You can lose some, gain some, some even turn into something more—like sisterhood or, as I recently learned, a relationship. One of the best friendships I have at Mount—aside from my roommate/best friend—is with my boyfriend. I was always told growing up that the best relationships start as great friendships, and I’ve learned that it’s not too far off from the truth.

Friendships not only teach you about other people, but they teach you about yourself. They help you learn what’s good for you, how to stick up for yourself, and so much more. We can learn a lot from the people surrounding us, even if we don’t realize it. I’m incredibly lucky to have so many great friends in my life currently, and I even consider myself lucky to have the friendships that were lost over the years. We should take into account the way other people help make us who we are as we grow older, regardless of whether or not we are friends with certain people still. They had an impact on our lives at one point because of a friendship, and that impact us even as time moves on.

I urge you to take some time on August 26th to recognize and celebrate your friendships. Whether it be by telling them face to face, making plans together, or even just thinking about them with gratitude, it is a celebration, nonetheless.

Happy National Friendship Day to all my friends; those who I have lost touch with, those I still have, and even the friends I am yet to make. I would not be where I am now without any of them by my side.