Whenever the word “relationship” is mentioned, many jump to the romantic intimacy between two lovers. However, what about the relationships that don’t get enough credit? There are more ways that people can be involved with one another such as besties, bromances, mentorships and even within a family. According to Oxford Dictionary, the actual definition consists of, “the way in which two or more people are connected.” With that being said, why do teenagers seem to only focus their attention on the romantic aspect of life? No matter the connection that two or more people possess, each bond is just as important as the next.

Besties:

Whether it’s staying in for a movie night, going out with a group of friends for a night out or playing the same sport, best friends will always find a way to be together. Becoming “besties” is easy when an individual is constantly surrounded by that special someone’s presence. For sophomores Sierra Siedlecki and Delaney Scott, it all started in elementary school. They’ve been inseparable ever since.

“We hang out as much as we can,” Siedlecki said. “Once we hung out everyday over the summer in 6th grade.”

Typically, the relationship between best friends involves having similar personalities and interests. Volleyball is that interest that brought the two girls together, and having the same friend group helped a lot, too.

“We’re the same person and we say the same things,” Siedlecki said. “Whenever I’ll say something, someone says, ‘that’s something Delaney would say,’ and we enjoy the same hobbies.”

Staying up until 4 a.m., going on crazy late night adventures, stuffing their faces with ice cream and gossiping about the latest drama all take place in the lives of these two besties.

A bestie should be someone that will never get boring and their affection comes naturally; someone who will defend the other when they’re not around; someone that serves as a shoulder to cry on even in the toughest of times. A best friend is the sibling that someone is able to choose.

Bromance:

There are different levels of friendships: school friends—where students only talk during class or in the halls because they are the only other person they seemingly can tolerate; friends—when one attempts to hangout with the other, but it never happens; good friends—a sleepover once a month and a FaceTime call from time to time; best friends—when there are consistent sleepovers and texting 24/7; and then there’s an entirely different category: bromances—when one pretty much lives at the other one’s house and act as if he’s related.

Bromances are a very strong type of love and require spontaneous ideas to keep them alive—just ask sophomores Joseph Maggio and Ben Wilson.

“We went swimming last year in March,” Maggio said. “The ice was melting and we ended up falling through, it was way too cold.”

No matter the circumstance, bros will always find a way to keep the night interesting. Common activities for these boys include playing video games, talking about girls, fishing, skiing and snowboarding. For Maggio and Wilson, their past is what brought them together. Being on the same baseball team meant seeing each other every day, which allowed them to create memories that they believe will last forever.

“One is my favorite memories has to be the summer after Joey and I met,” Wilson said. “We were wakeboarding with his dad, and after [Joey] wiped out onto his back, his dad just kept making fun of him and I never laughed so hard in my life.”

Whether it’s wakeboarding on the grass when it’s slippery, fishing at eleven at night, or waking up early to go wakeboarding in the summer, this bromance always finds a way to hang out with each other. However, what is the one obstacle that can separate the duo? When one bro attempts to share his attention with someone else: a girlfriend. Even though the boys are always seen together, Wilson now has other priorities.

“I think the hardest thing is that he has a lady friend now,” Maggio said. “It’s like he’s always choosing her.”

No matter if one of these two has a new “lady friend” or find other priorities during their day or week, the two always come back to one another—making time for the friend that means the most to him.

“During the school week we see each other every weekend,” Wilson said. “If it’s during the summer, then we basically hang out every day.”

A daily dose of love helps keep the relationship strong. Establishing a real connection between two people is possible with the help of common interests. A bromance, arguably, is one of the strongest forms of a relationship, so there must be 100 percent effort. For Wilson and Maggio, they see themselves as brothers, and that’s all they need.

Family:

Families are usually described in one word: dysfunctional, but are there dysfunctionalities that actually help make a family functional? For example, running late actually brings a family closer together, it’s their own system. In fact, every family has their own system, but not everyone is aware of how their family functions.

The stereotypical family includes: the crazy aunt or uncle that everyone sees only during the holidays, the grandparents that try to get way too involved, the annoying brother, and the sisters that constantly fight. Of course, not everyone truly has this bunch of relatives. As for sophomores Delia, Helena and Max Forgie, their family is anything but stereotypical.

Being a triplet isn’t always easy—wherever one goes, another one follows.

“I feel like we’re always together,”  D. Forgie said. “I can’t get away, from at least two of us.”

The downside to having three siblings that all look alike is that everyone assumes they’re the same, when in reality they’re not.

“I mean, we’re all different; Delia and I aren’t exactly the same,” H. Forgie said. “We look the same, but clothes-wise [and] personality-wise, we’re different. [With] after school activities—it’s not the same.”

Being different is what makes one unique, and when everyone views three individuals as one unit, it can get irritating.

“It’s just slapping a name on it, I feel like it’s labeled and people think that’s what’s so dramatic about it,”  H. Forgie said. “I just don’t think about it that way.”

The sisters also rely on each other throughout the day, even if it’s for the minor inconveniences in life. They’re constantly surrounded by each other, which makes it easier to help out with these problems.

“I rely on Helena every day for everything—what I’m going to wear to school or pieces of my homework I don’t understand,” D. Forgie said. “I’m going to rely on her to help me with it.”

Family will always be there for you in the end. They share the same blood and will offer support whenever needed.

Mentors:

Teaching someone else based on the experiences that they lived through is one of the most productive ways to get information across. That person has a perspective, and will receive enough respect in order to make a point.

Within the mirrored walls of Antioch Community High School’s dance room, the dancers go about their season with team “sisters.” Each underclassman is paired up with an upperclassman in order to provide answers for questions, or for simply teaching them more about the program or routine.

“I think it helps us get closer and especially since past teammates are close, the new ones coming on allows us to meet the new people to come together so it’s not two divided teams,” senior varsity dancer Danielle Bay said. “It’s not the past dancers on one side and then the new girls on another; it just helps us come together.”

The whole purpose of “team sisters” is to bring team chemistry to ensure that they are working together when it comes to their routine. By allowing these bonds to form, each pair gets closer with one another and soon there is more than simply a mentorship—there is a friendship. Having friends on the team provide motivation because the athletes aren’t only trying their best for themselves, but for their teammates as well. It is the best recipe for success.

Success is also achieved by learning the content and perfecting it, which is possible because of the mentors’ ability to educate in a respectful manner.

“She’s super nice and I’m really glad she’s my sister,” Bay said. “ I think it’s really good to have someone to look up to.”

Mentoring isn’t only a one way street. Both students should be able to contribute new knowledge to the other. Freshman Kara Galarneau offers advice to Bay as well.

“She’s such a great dancer; she’s so flexible,” Bay said. “She definitely gives me tips and tricks; she’s so good.”

The relationship between a mentor and their student can either be super close, or very distant. It depends on what that pair wants to make out of their mentorship. Putting in effort to make the most of their time together is what determines how much trust is shared between the girls, which will result in getting the most out of their practices. It is true that relationships are different, but that shouldn’t mean they can’t be equally as important. Each connection made by two or more people is still a bond that will carry into the future; whether it’s a simple “hello” in the halls, or a sleepover every weekend.