– Satyakam Ray
No friendship is an accident”-O. Henry.
A Friend in need is a friend indeed. These beautiful quotes often define a mysterious bond between two individuals. It is attractive, yet their bloodlines are not related. A bond doesn’t see differences in cast, creed, position, or monetary prowess. It commits to a mutually conscientious agreement to stand up for each other in times of anguish. They also revel together in times of joy. If this friendship dates back to childhood, it is called “buddyhood.” Buddyhood doesn’t discriminate, and it’s an inclusive community. The school-time buddies share a meaningful emotional connection till the last breath.
As 90s kids, we all had notorious mischief and hideout places at school or at home. We stored our most prized possessions there and had a few trustworthy partners in crime. The kids in the ’90s were notorious for putting on a stellar show. They did this by damaging the cycle tires. They also stole pens and pencils from classmates’ bags. Some even threw chewing gum in their adversaries’ hair. The experiences mentioned above are just a starting point. They pale in comparison to how mischievous the ’90s kids’ friend circles used to be. Mischief was abundant. Yet, genuine friendships were also built by ’90s kids over the years. These friendships started in their school days.
The chaddi-buddy concept dates back to the 1990s, a time when kids were around. Friends used to hang out together. They wore school uniforms and carried schoolbags. These are fortunate human beings who had an emotional connection long before puberty. The chaddi buddies of the 90s become best friends in later life. Others stay oblivious to their childhood connection. They deny each other recognition. This friendship runs deep into memory lane and sometimes makes grown-ups teary-eyed. No old monk can take the person to happy and sad zones as the chaddi-buddy memory can.
The BFF (best friend ever ” (BFF) was not invented then. The concept of best friends for life emerged during punishment. This happened when students would stand outside classrooms because their homework was not done correctly. Sharing notes for class tests demonstrates these friendships. Paying the debts of the panipuri and chat vendors shows their strength. Carrying love letters to friends in their hostel rooms highlights their depth. Covering up for friends’ shenanigans in front of parents is a testament to enduring friendships. These actions occur in front of teachers or hostel wardens. They reveal the enduring nature of these connections, spanning decades. When we look closely at how the friendship began, it is clear that playground fights sparked it. The preparation for a school play was a starting point. An annual dance initiated it. A shared interest in a particular classmate is also the reason.
’90s kids used various tricks to immortalize their friendship. Some students used graffiti to showcase their bond in school classrooms, standard rooms, or even on school desks. The person’s name would be written, followed by a heart sign. One-sided love stories and lucky lovebirds also used the same stone-carving technique in the timeless school walls. The scrapbooks of the past also played a crucial role in preserving memories. Specifically, high school yearbooks with each student’s signature and aspirations are landmarks of a person’s growth and development. Back in the day, people wrote letters to their best friends. They did this if one person moved away to another city for a parent’s transfer.
In the 1990s, no mobile phones were available among school kids or teenagers. The usual texting we see today among Gen Z and millennials was missing. The lack of social media created a communication gap among schoolmates after graduation. Orkut and Gmail accounts were once the trendsetters in reuniting lost friends. After that, Facebook and WhatsApp took advantage of the scene. Various school groups on Facebook and WhatsApp are dedicated to explicitly reuniting batchmates from specific years. Even old-school or college mates organize batch reunions during the holidays to rekindle friendships. Instagram paved the way for greater connection.
In the long run, what matters most is that a true, decades-long friendship blossomed into brotherhood, sisterhood, or buddyhood. Unassuming individuals are connected at random by an intangible yet powerful force called unconditional love. The ’90s kids represent a shining torchlight. They stand out amid trust-deficient, social media-tagged friends. These friends barely share a genuine moment of connection or emotion. They hardly ever sit together at the corner of a street vendor’s food stall. In the true sense, starting a friendship is intriguing, but keeping it for years is an art. 90s kids are pure artists in that aspect.
The Witty Stride 