Will you be my group?

In this period of digital personas and "circles" of friends, I find myself craving a real-life cadre of amigos. While the virtual crew offers it benefits, there's no substitute for a good old-fashioned hang-out with your people (unless all the people in one of my circles spontaneously spring into the Thriller dance over Google Chat one day). The kinds of hang outs where you're doing absolutely nothing, but in the company of people you feel comfortable with, it becomes something.

This summer has been a lesson in independence. Independence, you say, Divs, you're always doing shit on your own. Don't I know it. But usually good friends are just around the corner. This summer, for the first time since mid-high school, I don't have a core group of friends to surround myself with. I find myself at the beach staring at the packs of foreign students who travel together wishing I could be a part of something like that.

Mostly, that's because I'm in Boston. And my closest friends are not so geographically close, completely scattered around the country.

And when you use your friends to substitute other lacking relationships in your life - familial, or let's face it, romantic - that can be a problem. As many of my dearest friends ignite new flames, or grow their continuing relationships, I am left flying solo.

So, while I use this summer to work on me and continue to mature (yuck, that's what happens when you turn 25), I can't help but reminisce about the completely ridiculous times I shared with my CAPA friends, Chambana roommates, Condo Crew and Comm Cabal (holy crap, alliteration!).