The summer before I set foot at UT, my local Texas Exes chapter gathered me for what they called a “proper Texas” send-off at our local country club. That day, I stepped into an environment that I had yet to call my own. The patio was draped with white and adorned with burnt orange; it was as if the school itself came out and claimed the space.

The rest of the day was a blur of small talk and fancy food, but one specific conversation cut through the haze. Somewhere between the mindless chitchat of majors and post-grad plans, I met an alumnus who graduated in the spring of ‘04. We talked for an hour about his experiences at UT, and at the end of the conversation, he told me to cherish the friendships I make, because those people will “stick with you for the rest of your life.” I didn’t think much of it at the time, but it wasn’t until I arrived on campus, having made zero friends at orientation, that I truly started to feel the weight of his words.

The next few weeks were much of the same; I would go to class and casually hang out with people I met on Instagram. Despite my frequent attempts to make life-long friendships, I was stuck in an endless loop of uncomfortable small talk. I tried to measure every encounter against the promise of permanence. With each passing person, one question silently hung: Is this a friendship that can last forever? Then, when we would lose touch, I often felt as though I had failed to embark on this rite of passage.

Only later did I realize that the expectation itself was flawed. Friendships in college don’t need to be eternal to be genuine. They can be fleeting yet formative and meaningful without the promise of forever.

“Everybody tells you you’re gonna go to college and meet your friends. My parents talk about still being friends with their roommates and having made so many good friends in college,” said mathematics freshman Sofia Burguete. “In my sorority, girls will say, ‘These are your future bridesmaids.’… That puts pressure on making the right friends and (holding) on to them.”

Many students walk into college with the idea that their friendships must be built to last forever. What students don’t realize is that this expectation sets them up to feel disappointed in temporary connections. Framing relationships this way overlooks the authenticity of a friendship that may only exist for a season.

As someone who holds high expectations for big stepping stones in their life, I can honestly say that out of all the friendships I had made throughout high school, I only speak to one currently. While I enjoy the people I surround myself with here at UT, I face the very real possibility that some of these friendships may not last beyond these four years. That doesn’t mean I wouldn’t cherish them any less, but it does mean understanding that some things are just meant to be experienced momentarily.

“Most of your high school friends are probably gone by now, and that’s not bad,” said John Daly, professor in the Department of Communications at Moody. “It’s not that you don’t like them anymore, things have (just) changed.”

As humans, we’re constantly evolving and molding ourselves into the people we later want to become. We take time building our interests and surrounding ourselves with like-minded individuals with the intention of creating a specific lifestyle. However, as we change over time, we may find ourselves outgrowing certain friendships.

And while some could argue that everything could work itself out with just the right amount of effort, we must understand that not all relationships are given the fairytale ending and are simply meant to be seasonal. A late-night study buddy, an overwhelming group project or a person you casually talk to in class may not become a bridesmaid, but that doesn’t make that connection any less real.

In the end, maybe that’s the point. Some friendships might “stick with you for the rest of your life”, but sometimes they can simply change. Each connection will have its own respectable time and purpose. While nice in theory, college isn’t just about collecting eternal friendships; it’s about leaning on people while they matter most.

Even if those friendships don’t last forever, they will leave resonating impressions that have the capability of lasting a lifetime.

Huerta is a government Junior from Victoria, Texas.