Freshmen Charvi Cherukuri and Diya Sekhon have been best friends for ten years so far. The first time they met was at a park at their elementary school. By going to the same elementary, middle and high school together, their bond became stronger over the years.

“We always feel like we’re there for each other when we needed each other. We have each other when others were being mean to us. Like, you’ll always be on the same side,” Cherukuri said. 

Their favorite memories are playing tennis together on the GBHS tennis team. Beyond the tennis court, speech and debate serve as another shared activity, where they attend competitions and collaborate with each other.

Just like winning a game of tennis, the sheer excitement and entertainment is experienced in the friendship between the two girls. Visiting each other’s homes and spending time together are moments that always spark happiness for the duo.

Sophomores Meadow Callaway, Tanvi Choutkuri and Charlee Whitnack have been best friends ever since they first met in fifth grade.

Callaway and Choutkuri became friends in first grade, marking the beginning of a decade-long connection. In fifth grade, they brought Whitnack into their friendship, and by eighth grade, the trio had grown even closer. Since their personalities meshed well together, they had engaging conversations and shared jokes that would always end up in laughter.

“I think we’ve had a lot of fun over the years, so there’s a lot of memories like birthday parties, school dances, even graduating, events like that. I feel like there’s a lot of photos that commemorate that.” Choutkuri said.

When hanging out with each other, the trio enjoys going to each other’s houses or going out for dinner somewhere. During their hangout sessions, usually shopping and talking are the main activities they like to do together.

Their favorite nicknames for each other are Trash Can Tanvi (Choutkuri), Trash Can Charlee (Whitnack), Meedow (Callaway) and Won-Tan (Choutkuri). 

Juniors Mila Sweetnam and Lily Giles have been best friends for about 11 years and have been inseparable ever since. The best friends met in elementary school when Sweetnam was in kindergarten and Giles was in first grade.

“We actually, last year, we went to Build a Bear together to celebrate our 10th anniversary,” Giles said.

They both agree that the reason they have stayed together for so long is because they are “basically the same person.” As the years went by, they’ve seamlessly evolved alongside each other, introducing their individual interests, and watching the other begin to appreciate them too. For example, their favorite movie is the same: Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, and was deemed “best movie ever” by them.

Additionally, Sweetnam and Giles had made a list of platonic nicknames for each other at their friend’s birthday party. Some of their choices include Mr. Romantic, Thunder Chunk and Honey Butter Biscuit. 

“We were there in middle school with each other, and I stuck with Lily. It’s great that I’ve been able to stay so close with Lily because over the years, we’ve known a lot of best friend duos that have split up and just grown apart from each other,” Sweetnam said.

Seniors Jaoquin Ralph and Pablo Pillai have been best friends since the fourth grade. 

“As a new kid (in fourth grade), I didn’t really have anybody to hang out with. And then I saw him and he looked fun to be around with, so we kind of just started hanging out together and then he became (my best friend),” Pillai said. 

As friends for many years, they have accumulated a lot of funny memories together. One of their favorite memories include having a mini talent show with each other and their friends and “com(ing) up with the most ridiculous things” around fourth and fifth grade.

When hanging out, they tend to not have a particular place to go, just “wherever (they) may meet.” However, they enjoy going to each other’s houses, eating out and just hanging out after school together as well. While hanging out with each other, some hobbies that they enjoy doing together is creating short films/ group projects together.

“Filming as a good old media student and him being actually not bad of an actor, we usually end up being on the same project. And we kind of just do that a lot,” Pillai said.