7 Signs You've Outgrown Your Hometown Friends & It's Time To Spread Your Wings
Your hometown will always represent where you're from, but the friends you have there aren't necessarily meant to stick in your life for the long haul. First off, let's give a solid kudos to hometown friends, because they help shape who you are to a certain extent. You're always growing, though, and not everyone is meant to be part of your future. The signs you've outgrown your friends from home will become more and more apparent as you continue to grow and evolve into the person you want to be.
You don't regret those summer nights hanging out by the beach or the many friendship bracelets you made together. You love the memories and fun times you had at prom, during winter breaks, and at all of your favorite spots. But it's time to grow, and friends either grow with you or apart from you.
Fading out of a friendship doesn't always have to be a messy affair. People grow distant over time, and the best thing you can do is remember the good times and know that it's a normal process. If you're on the fence about how tight you still are to your hometown friends, these seven sign should clue you in.
01You Feel Trapped In Convos That Only Pertain To The Past
Of course, it's nice that you can skip down memory lane with your hometown friends, but it shouldn't be the only thing your convos revolve around. Talking about the same things from the past is repetitive, and it might be all that you have in common now. It will make you feel stuck, and that's not a place you should be.
02You Value Different Things In A Friendship
What you value in a friendship changes as you get older. Maybe your hometown friend expects you to check in every week. You might expect your friends to be more interested in what you do for a living. When those values don't align anymore, you've outgrown one another, or maybe you're going in two opposite directions.
03You're Constantly Comparing Them To Your Other Friend Groups
The only time we ever really compare is when you can truly feel the difference between situations. If you constantly find yourself comparing your current friend group to your hometown friends, it may be because one is outweighing the other. You might relate more to one group at this point in life.
04You Only See Or Talk To Them When You Go Home
You don't have to talk to friends every day to consider them your friends. When it comes to your hometown friends, seeing them when you go home isn't the only time you should keep in touch. If you only see or talk to them on those occasional visits home, then they become less and less part of your life.
05Nothing New Or Exciting Happens In The Friend Group
If your group of hometown friends simply feels like the same old thing, you're ready to move on. People shouldn't feel the same to you. In fact, your friends should bring new and exciting experiences to the table. This isn't to say that your hometown friends never provided that. They just don't anymore.
06You Haven't Invited Them To Your New Home
Have your hometown friends ever visited you? If not, then you may be subconsciously keeping them in your past. You aren't ashamed of where you're from or the people there, but you might not be the same person anymore. If your hometown friends haven't witnessed your lifestyle now, then they may not have a solid spot in your future.
07You Get Major FOMO When You Hang Out With Them
You shouldn't be thinking about doing other things when you're with a group of people, especially your friends. If your hometown friends just aren't cutting it anymore, you have constant FOMO when you hang out with them. You're worried about what your other friends are doing, instead of enjoying yourself with this group. Your friend group should fulfill you and be such good company you lose track of time.
You don't have to feel bad if any of these signs indicate that you're outgrowing your hometown friends. Their time in your life isn't being erased, you're just growing up.
