By Mason Vargas
There are many things in the world for which to be thankful—family, experiences, sports and more; however, for me, the thing I’m most thankful for are my friends. I consider myself to have many friends. Friends come big or small, from school friends to best friends, but, what never fails to change is that friends will always be there for you. You have times of laughter together. Sometimes maybe the opposite. What will always shine through is the experiences you have together. Those memories will always forever impact your life. One of my favorite memories is with two of my best friends and fellow Westmont students, Armaan Keshava and Blake Kim. On a warm sunny day in February of 2024, the three of us decided to refresh ourselves with some nice boba. Blake decided not to get anything, however, Armaan got a Thai tea while I got a mango smoothie. Armaan, being a “bum”, didn’t like his drink and consequently took numerous sips. When I refused to give him any more, he would exclaim “MANGOOOOOO” and beg for another sip. Although, this instance was confusing and a little (just a tad bit) out of the ordinary to others, it sprouted an ongoing joke that we still laugh about. Confusion arises in our friend group when Armaan or myself will randomly exclaim “MANGOOOO” in a high-pitched voice that only Blake, Armaan, and I understand but it doesn’t matter to us. This inside joke is one of many that I share with my friends. It’s the special moments and memories that I will forever cherish with my friends. A friend is a friend forever no matter how close you guys get and even when you drift apart. Remember the good, and remember the bad, but a friend is a friend. Always be thankful for friends!