Do you remember your high school graduation? The social circle you had then is probably much different from the one you have now, but at the time, you and your friends intended to keep in touch. Some of you may have gone off to college while others stayed in the same town. You may have written or called certain friends more than others. Eventually, everyone realizes it’s impossible to keep up with everyone.

In 2012, Teen Vogue published an article on how retaining too many friendships from high school can actually hinder a young person’s success at college and their ability to create an adult life. But once that adult life is created, what are the benefits of reconnecting? If you’re curious about some of your high school friends whose numbers you might have lost over the years, you might find that looking them up is beneficial to your well-being in a number of ways.

1. Recapturing the Best Years of Your Life

Statistically, you’ll probably never be as skinny as you were in high school, but there may be some other qualities you had then that you’re missing now. High schoolers are awkward, naive, and even obnoxious, but they’re also full of possibility. Reconnecting with an old high school friend can remind you of the person you used to be when you were full of dreams and goals for your future. Why did you like each other then? What was your friendship based on? It could be superficial, but it might not be. According to the New York Times, science has proven that the ages of 15-25 cement a person’s self-image and their preferences. This includes the music you listen to, the areas of study that spark your interest, and the kind of people you hang out with. It’s good to be reminded of that.

2. Go Ahead, Compare

It’s the most natural thing in the world to go to your class reunion and compare how well you’ve done in life to your classmates. The same is true when you reach out to a former friend. You might feel guilty about this instinct, but it doesn’t have to be a mean-spirited comparison. Maybe your friend has children and you don’t. Maybe one of you makes more money. Maybe one of you has chosen to live in a radically different region of the country than the other. It doesn’t have to be about your friend’s choices being wrong and yours being right. Instead, getting together with a high school friend can give you a clear picture of your life and help you understand the road you took to get where you are. If you’re jealous of aspects of their life, you might realize some changes you need to make. And if you’re not, you might be able to appreciate your own path in a whole new way.

3. Take Advantage of the Internet

Perhaps the biggest reason to get back in touch with high school friends is because in this day and age, why not? When you graduated, the internet might not have been as prevalent as it is today, and it’s more than likely there weren’t 7 billion Facebook users. Now, you can simply plug in a name, a city, a former address, or other information into the computer and track down exactly who you’re looking for. Social media is also a great way to maintain contact. High school graduates of today have a lot less to worry about when it comes to retaining their friendships, because most people in your life are just a click away. The internet has given us so much opportunity to come together, and it’s only going to enrich your life if you use that convenience to your advantage.

Everybody’s curious about what happened to their high school friends, but most people don’t consider how finding out could be a really positive thing. Even if you no longer have anything in common, you’ll learn from the experience. High school friends are an important part of your past, and by reminding yourself why, they could help you improve your future.

Writer Christopher Shanks is an avid blogger. Interested in reconnecting with someone from your past? You should look into a people search service. You may even consider doing a criminal background check if you aren’t getting any results.