Being in an industry that forces (in the best of ways) you to be friends with those in the same industry has been one of my favorite things about blogging. Some of my most cherished friendships are with girls I’ve known for less than a year! You just realize that many of the friends you make in your mid to late 20’s end up being some of closest people to you. It’s no longer about longevity of friendship but instead about mutual understanding and similar interests and experiences, compatible personalities and values.
I am better friends with many of girls I’ve met in just the last year than with people I had known for many, many years. However, beware of the vortex effect it can have. It’s exciting because doors are opened and new opportunities to advance your career are presented. But, before your know it, it sucks you into all this new, causing you to neglect your time with the your OGs. I know I’ve only been in the game for a year but I have realized it early. Luckily, I have figured out the healthy balance between my new and old friends.For a couple months, I was seeing my blogger friends 3x as much as I was seeing my OG’s. It gets difficult separating that time because it’s almost easier to hang with blogger friends – you can get so much content shot and make your deadlines so much quicker. They understand the need to get that perfect shot, the time it takes to get the shot; they just get it.
Now, I am in no way saying that my specific OGs have issues with what I do. I am actually extremely lucky to have the BEST support system. They understand and love what I do, they never ever complain. Talk about #blessed. However, I am sure there are girls who do struggle with maybe some not-so-understanding OG friends and this blog post is geared towards y’all.The thing is, regardless if they get it or not, separate the two. I love being with my blogger friends so much. We laugh, cry, connect; everything I do with my OG girls, I do with them. Honestly, a couple of them now do stand on the same level as my OG’s (but that’s besides the fact). WHY I love my OG girls is that when I’m with them, I forget that I’m a blogger, and many times, that is 100% what I need to keep me sane. I completely forget what I do for a living. I’m 50000% just plain weird ‘ol me. I remember where I come from, a small girl from a small town and nothing more, and I love it. The fact that I don’t have to converse about companies, who is doing what, or who landed who, the algorithm, or Instagram, it is SO liberating! You may even notice that I don’t post much when I’m with my OGs. It’s not that I don’t want to post them but I’m having so much fun living in the moment that I don’t want to be on my phone. WHAT A BLESSING. So don’t neglect about your non-blogging friends. I’ve been spending more time with them the last couple months and I haven’t been happier. They are so important for your mental and ‘career health’, if ‘career health’ is even a thing lol.
I began realizing I wasn’t seeing my them as often when I was working myself to death – drowning in collabs and falling behind on shooting that, at the time, it only made sense to hang with blogger friends because they could help shoot. Well, the fact that it became a frequent occurrence to me meant it was getting bad and I didn’t like it.
One thing my OGs and I do is we agree on a date a few weeks in advance and lock it in. AND we don’t flake (unless it’s an emergency). I have seen people (not just bloggers but people in other industries) who, once they make new industry friends, ditch their old ones. I only know what that looks like because I began grazing the starting line of that path. Our OGs know us better than anyone and have been there since our humble beginnings. Keep them close to your heart because at the end of the day, there are a lot of social climbers out there and sometimes, those new friends are never promised long-term. But your OG girls, they’re here to stay!