THE HARD LESSONS OF FADING FRIENDSHIP

They say you should be true and loyal to those who are the same to you, but learning that lesson usually comes at a heavy cost. During my college days, I had a strong friendship group. Back then, we were completely inseparable. We explored a lot together, and our memories were not just inclined in the classrooms but also across the whole college campus. Every corner of that place had a story attached to it—laughs we shared, canteen chats, and long walks between classes. I truly believed, with all my heart, that these people would be with me forever. I thought our bond was unbreakable and that no matter where life took us after graduation, we would always stay the same. But as time went on, I realized that it was only my hope.

After college ended, we still made an effort to meet up. We shared our thoughts, our future plans, and honestly, even everything in our life. No topic was off-limits. We talked about our families, our relationships, our secret crushes, the latest gossip, our biggest dreams, and all our career plans. It felt safe, and it felt real. At least, I thought it did.

But as days gone, the friendship also began to fade. The sad part is, it didn't fade for everyone equally. For instance, there was one friend who I thought I was very close to. We used to talk for hours on end, sharing our deepest secrets and dreams. But after college, she started to drift away. She would take longer and longer to reply to my messages, and when she did, her responses were brief and distant. Eventually, she stopped replying altogether. It was a painful realization that our friendship wasn't as strong as I thought it was.

It wasn't just her, though. Other friends also started to drift away. We would make plans to meet up, but something would always come up at the last minute. Or we would meet up, but the conversation would feel forced and awkward. It was as if we were no longer the same people we were in college. We had grown apart, and our lives had taken us in different directions.

It was a hard lesson to learn, but it was an important one. I realized that friendships aren't always meant to last forever. People change, and life takes us in different directions. It's important to cherish the memories we have with our friends, but it's also important to let go when the friendship is no longer serving us.

I've learned to be more selective with who I call my friends. I've learned to value quality over quantity. And I've learned that it's okay to let go of friendships that are no longer working. It's not always easy, but it's necessary for our own growth and well-being

But as days gone, the friendship also began to fade. The sad part is, it didn't fade for everyone equally. For one specific person in our group, the friendship became entirely about her own needs. Slowly, a pattern started to emerge that I couldn't ignore anymore. She would only contact us when she needed something. Suddenly, the notifications on my phone from her were always about her projects, her ideas, her assignments, her doubts, or her notes.

Because I valued the friendship and wanted to be loyal, I helped her a lot. I went out of my way for her. There were times when I literally studied her own textbooks, prepared detailed notes for her, and practically studied her entire syllabus just to help her pass. I put her stress above my own time. But the moment I faced any problems or needed a helping hand, she was never there. She always had many excuses ready—she was too busy, too tired, or wrapped up in something else. The second her needs were met, she became completely invisible to us again.

Literally, that is what is happening right now, and it is a very painful reality to accept. It makes you look back and question if the happy memories were even genuine, or if you were just a convenient stepping stone for someone else's goals.....