When you hear the word “networking,” you usually think of people shoving their business cards in your face while extolling their talents and why you need them. Ok, maybe I went a bit overboard, but my point is, at least for most of us, networking isn’t something you’re grateful or excited about.  You don’t look upon it with fond memories.  Today I realized how wrong that is.  Networking is every interaction you’ve made in existence.  It’s every “hello” you’ve screamed across the street to every side glance you’ve made thinking that she didn’t notice you checking out her ass.  Networking has gotten us every relationship we’ve made from enemies to best-friends to mere acquaintances.  

I love people.  For some, that may be hard to believe.  I have been cursed with a “bitch face” and a short temper.  I’m also very self-righteous, impatient, and judgmental.  WITH THAT SAID, I have a large heart.  Those that know me well, know that I cry. A lot.  I cry when I’m sad, angry, frustrated, talking about something I’m passionate about… nearly anything that requires emotion.  But those that have stood by me despite by quirks and oftentimes selfish behavior, have stood by me through my worst.  And for that, I feel so blessed and grateful.  I put relationships above everything else in my life.  Without friends, without relationships, life is empty.  Oh gosh, I’m crying writing this.

We often allow life to get in the way of things that are more important than life itself.  We are merely one pathetic human amongst so many.  Alone, we are helpless.  With support, even that of just one other person, potential is infinite.  We’re drilled to work as in individual.  Throughout grade school we compete with our peers.  Everything’s a race and you always want first place.  In high-school, we compared college acceptance letters.  In college we subtly compare graduate school and job acceptance letters.  

I know that I have often neglected my friendships for the sake of self-advancement or because of something new and exciting.  I’m not saying that that’s wrong.  No, sometimes you MUST put yourself first.  But you know you’ve done something wrong when you feel guilty about it, even when you can explain the guilt away.  The past few weeks have been very stressful for me and I can’t say enough thank you’s to the dears that have listened to me rant and question everything and anything.

So this has been a long rant and what will you call it.  Why did I choose today? Well, I love bumping into old faces on campus.  I also love making new acquaintances.  Like I said before, I love people.  Nothing makes me quite as happy and seeing someone equally excited to see me.  I LOVE IT! But today, everyone I bumped into was introduced to me by someone else.  I shared no common classes or hobbies.  These were people I would have NEVER met, if someone else never introduced us.  Networking at its finest.  In this case, it didn’t get me a job, it gave me something far more precious.  It introduced to me relationships that became friendships.