Best Buddies is a great way to make new friends. Sophomore, Faith Briggs, can tell you all about it.

Q: What is Best Buddies?

A: “The best way to describe Best Buddies is that it’s just a great way of forming friendships, because it’s not all that different from ‘normal’ friendship. It’s just like any other relationship where you have to put effort into it to recieve effort out of it. It’s super beneficial to both participants, and really allows you to see the world differently. I think it definitely helps bring all different types of people together. You just get to spend time with some really awesome people. It’s a great opportunity for you to take a break from your world and enter theirs for a little while.”

Q: How long have you been a member?

A: “I’ve been a member for a year and this year I’m actually the historian of the club.”

Q: What got you interested in this club?

A: “I got to know about it through a friend. I also have a cousin who has Down Syndrome, so it’s always kind of been something that I’ve been aware of.”

Q: What’s your favorite memory in Best Buddies?

A: “The first one would probably be the very first one we did in Best Buddies. It was a Halloween party. There was dancing and food. It was a super fun event. Another favorite memory would probably be bowling. We got to go down to the bowling alley. Our buddies had a really good time.”

Q: What are your goals for Best Buddies?

A: “The main thing is to really provide a companionship for somebody else, especially for someone who may not have one. It’s nice for them to have a distinct organization that focuses on them.”

Q: What advice do you have for new members?

A: “You definitely need to go in there with an open mind and positivity. An open mind is the biggest thing because these kids are all different in their own ways. You need to relax and let the conversation flow. I think we put so much stress on ourselves about it or think that because they’re different you need to talk to them different, but it’s really not like that.”

Q: Is there anything else you would like to add?

A: “I definitely want to add how positively rewarding this is. These kids don’t always see the bad in things, often it’s just positive. I think that’s something we can learn from. I highly recommend doing [Best Buddies].”