I was giving this some thought as I periodically talk to or visit long time friends over the years...some of which I have seen this summer.
Do you think most people change? I would say that, while they can, and some should, they don't. Essentially, all of my friends have the same personalities as when I first met them. Yeah, they've grown up, so they may look different over time. And, while they may have a different attitude or are more self-assured (that comes with time), they still have the same basic motivations and personal interaction style.
My friend Bob in S.D. still acts much the same way as he did in college. It's just that, being in the business world and having gone through a divorce, he's a lot more level-headed and realistic about life.
I have another friend who went to UCLA who moved to Vegas. She still speaks and analyzes everything to death as when she was in college and is cautious beyond belief. Our interactions are still the same.
Another friend, John, who lives in North San Diego County, also a college friend, was dominated by his mother in college and is now dominated by his wife. He is easy-going and kind of lazy, but becomes completely unglued if anything is slightly out of whack. He once complained to me: "God, I worked 43 hours this week...I swear I'm tired." Clearly not high level management material. He was a big baby in college, too, if I recall.
Another chick I knew in Atlanta came to visit me out West during Memorial Day of 2005 and we travelled up and down the Bay Area. She has a "high-falootin' " job but she is still the same - apparently her Dad was a bastard and that has turned her into a feminist, still reliably taking the woman's side at every occasion, even when they are dead wrong.
Nah, people don't change. I went from being more of an introvert to being an extrovert, though I like to spend time by myself, even if I appear outgoing. That's why I generally choose NOT to hang out with most of my co-workers. They really have to click with me. But despite the outward personality change, I was the class clown and have always been a clown at work. And I haven't changed in being extremely analytical, detail oriented and structured (when I'm not clowing around). Except for being more comfortable with myself than I was while in college, I haven't changed.
Any thoughts or stories?