Students like us are often pressured by parents and society to excel in school and this can distract them from making the most of a unique opportunity that is offered to them during school. Anybody could go back and finish school in life, but the chance to constantly be surrounded by people of similar age and interests is unique to the school experience. For this reason, we need to make sure that we make use of this golden chance to make deep connections with people around us that can go on for the rest of our life. Some examples of the importance of friendship are found in The 99% Invisible Podcast “The Mojave Phone Booth”, the movie Spirited Away, and the short film Scavengers. 

In The 99% Invisible Podcast “The Mojave Phone Booth” they have a discussion about an isolated phone booth that allows people all over the world to connect and talk to one another. Most did not even speak the same language but Doc Daniels points out how it was about more humans making a connection when he states in the podcast, “it wasn’t about the content. You’re not really saying anything. It’s really not the point. It’s just the connection.”. It really displays the human’s natural desire to make a new friendship and to make a human connection. However, this won’t be nearly as good of a way to be sociable as being in a school where you could spark up a conversation with a partner and develop the relationship.

Then in the movie Spirited Away we are shown how important school friendships can be to a person. At the beginning of the movie, we are introduced to a family who is moving away to a new area. Despite getting to start fresh and live a new life in a presumably better place, Chihiro is still reflecting on her old school friends who gave her a farewell bouquet. She is visibly upset and in pain because of losing friends, which really portrays the importance of friendships that are made in school. It is also worth noting that later in the movie the farewell note written by her school friends reminds her of who she is and allows her to escape the world she got stuck in.

The short film Scavengers is a mysterious sci-fi animation with many messages and life lessons. One of the major things you notice after watching is that the stranded astronauts miss society back on earth. I believe that this could be a metaphor for the topic of this page. The astronauts have succeeded in getting to their goal planet, but now they are there alone. Sort of like putting your whole life towards getting straight A’s, but neglecting your relationships in the process. So while we are still “on earth” we should make take advantage of our chance to develop acquaintances with those around us before it is too late.