Relationships: Lifelong Friendships withstand test of time

For many students, stepping into high school means forming new relationships and meeting new people. However, to others, high school presents an opportunity to spend another four years with childhood friends. Freshmen Koichi Brennan and Kevin Hirokawa have been friends since childhood. Brennan and Hirokawa, who have been friends for over ten years, became friends because of their older sisters’ friendship, seeing each other often.
“I specifically remember climbing into rolled up wrestling mats during our sisters’ basketball practices when we were young,” Hirokawa said. “We were practically forced to see each other a lot, and since we had a lot of fun together, we continued to hang out throughout elementary school.”
Hirokawa and Brennan eventually began to follow their sisters and play basketball for several years. Even though Brennan and Hirokawa attended different middle schools, Ridgecrest Intermediate School and Palos Verdes Intermediate School (PVIS) respectively, and moved on from basketball to pursue different activities such as marching band and soccer, their relationship continued to grow.
“I think what makes [our relationship] stand out from others is how we are very different from each other, but still manage to be best friends for such a long time,” Hirokawa said.
Because of their contrasting interests, the boys come out of their own comfort zones to match the other’s preferences.

“Even though our personalities, hobbies and appearances may differ, there are times where we seem like the same person,” Hirokawa said. “There are and will be changes to ourselves personally, but [I believe] we will always be close friends that we are now.”
Seniors Jessica Hay, Emily Ericson, Maya Willis, Sarah Khattab and Melissa Hoey are best friends who met each other at Rancho Vista Elementary School. While Ericson, Willis, Khattab and Hoey attended Miraleste Intermediate School, Hay went to PVIS. Despite the separation, the girls managed to stay in contact with each other by being in Girls Scouts together.
“You obviously meet new people and make new friends all the time, but having a relationship with the people you have been through your whole life together is a different kind of relationship that cannot be replaced,” Hoey said.
Because all the girls have similar personalities and understand each other well, they avoid things that would create problems.
“Our friendship is different from other friendships in that awkwardness does not exist and big fights do not create obstacles,” Hay said. “I feel like with every little thing we do, whether we fight or laugh, our friendship becomes stronger and we help each other find out more about ourselves.”