When I started out in college I had just moved to South Florida from Toronto. I was 17. Young and naive, I had led a sheltered life. I was always a good girl. Didn't get into trouble, didn't skip classes, never had a boyfriend (not including Gregory the summer before I left). When I moved here I was optimistic, forgiving, tolerant, nice to everyone. My first year was pretty good academically. Socially I had a lot to learn. Since I didn't know anyone, basically whoever was around became my friend. My definition of friend was quite loose back then. If we could have ongoing conversations about nothing I considered the person a friend. My circle of "friends" was huge. I felt good. I was always on my way from one friend to another, from one friend's class to another's dorm or to watch another play basketball. I was busy, I knew a lot of people, everyone was cool with me. Of course, as one would expect, over time my circle began to shrink. I got along better with certain people than with others, and as it turned out, most of the people I drifted to were in the same circle. That's not to say I ignored everyone I used to talk to, we just didn't talk as often. There was no way I could maintain all of the original "friendships." How could I and expect to foster any deep relationships? I learned what true friends are. I learned that there is less value in quantity than in quality.