This past weekend I competed at NYSML, the New York State Mathematics League. We assembled a team of students from different schools in our county who were top performers at local math competitions and went to compete with other teams from across the state. Of course, the academic experience itself was valuable — there were some truly mind-bending problems asked, requiring deep thought. Although our overall team performance ended up being delightfully average, and no one received any awards in particular, we still put on a decent showing. But beyond the academics, it was a very valuable experience for me, as it was an opportunity to meet many new people.

We see the same people who go to our schools every day; we’ve gone through the grades with them, and we know our inner circle of friends like the back of our hands. However, not very often do we get a chance to mingle with people from other schools (as often as we might come face to face with them during sporting events). Opportunities such as combined-school or county-wide teams, or other gatherings, are a rich opportunity to make new friends. And so, over the weekend, during the rather lengthy event, I was able to meet some very interesting people from neighboring schools. I discovered engaging personalities, with coinciding interests —people whom I might never have met, had I simply kept within my own school’s community.

Indeed, simply going to such events and meeting people, if possible, is a great way to pass time. For one thing, the ability to get along well with people is an incredibly valuable skill throughout all of life — it pays to be nice, as they say — and there’s no better way to develop that skill than to just go out and meet people. Plus, it’s a great way to broaden your view of the world. Different people have different views of things, ones that you might not have thought of yourself, but that still pique your interest. No one is alike; everyone has something interesting to say and a different story to share.

And it is, after all, a small world. You never know if, sometime in the future, you might run into someone you met long ago. And it might not even be up to chance anymore — with social networking sites and other Internet communication, it’s easier than ever to stay in touch with people.

So, the friends we make now will stick with us for life, whether directly by keeping in touch, or indirectly by leaving some lasting impression on us. Someone’s different perspective might completely change our point of view — hey; it only sounds far-fetched until it actually happens.

And we’ll always be making new friends in life. Most of us will be going to a college where we don’t know any of the other students — a place where making new friends is not only essential, but easier than ever. It’s the place to make a first impression on everybody, and if we reach out kindly then we’ll be sure to make good friends. Plus, being able to communicate and get along well with others is a valuable skill all over, in colleges, jobs, and beyond.

This year in particular, I’ve been making an effort to reach out to people. I’m taking part in more activities outside of schools, with people from all over, and I’ve been trying to get to know people there. It’s all too easy to sit in silence next to someone you don’t know, but that ends up not being an especially great experience. Striking up a little conversation can be, perhaps, “the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”