All my life, I’ve been one of those girls who’s had guys as friends. Here are a few things I’ve learned from them over the last 18 years.

1. They’re the best to go to for honest relationship advice. If you’re ever wondering what a boy means when he sends you a cryptic text/snapchat, just go ask another guy. They will tell you exactly what to expect from that boy and they’ll help you figure out how to handle the situation. Guys won’t sugar coat it when it comes to relationship advice. They’ll tell you who to stay away from and they’re usually right.
2. They almost always need help when it comes to dressing themselves. Every weekend, my phone blows up with snapchats from my guy friends who are wondering if what they’re wearing is acceptable to be seen in public. This could be because a lot of them are color blind, but I still find it extremely entertaining knowing that I could make or break their outfits and, in turn, their chances with girls that night.
3. They’re overprotective of the people they love. If I ever get a serious boyfriend, I know that they will have to go through hell to get the approval of all the important men in my life. Between an older brother, his friends, my guy friends, all of my cousins, and my dad, I’ll be lucky if they stick around to meet my mom and girlfriends. Even though I joke about how much I hate this protective approach, I know that they only have my best interest in mind and I take their opinion very seriously when it comes to the boys I like. If a guy I bring home doesn’t receive the approval of my older brother, then he’s never going to be the one.
4. They’re not as sensitive (which can be both good and bad). Boys tend to let things roll right off their backs, which can be both good and bad. Most of the time, it means you can make fun of them without them getting too mad at you or starting a huge fight. Other times, it stops them from seeing what their actions are doing to the people around them and how they can be unknowingly hurting the people they love.
5. Pinky promises from them are not trustworthy. This is a recent discovery. Most of my girlfriends and I take pinky promises very seriously, so when they are made, we expect them to be kept. However, this doesn’t seem to be the case within the male brain. I don’t understand why this is and all I have to say is that they should keep their promises, especially if they’re pinky promises.
6. They don’t understand what makeup does. Even if they think they know what they’re talking about, I can almost guarantee you they don’t. Try asking them to tell you what concealer, bronzer, or blush does. You’ll be laughing for days.
7. They don’t always think before they talk. This goes along with them not being as sensitive. They just don’t think before they open their mouths which can be hysterical or very very mean. They almost always apologize if they’ve hurt you, but you usually need to point it out to them before they realize what they’ve done.
8. They really are clueless when it comes to girls. They may give expert boy advice, but listen to them talk about girls and you’ll quickly realize that they have no clue what they’re talking about. Use the opportunity to educate them and share your expert girl advice. They’ll never stop thanking you for it if it works out in their favor.
9. Sports. I have learned more about sports from my guy friends than I ever thought was possible. They’re almost always willing to answer questions, but you have to time them right (during commercials and half time is best). Bonus: knowing more about sports makes you more attractive to other guys
10. They really are a breath of fresh air. When your group of girlfriends is fighting, or you just need someone to sit there and listen (or pretend to listen) while you rant about God knows what, guy friends are a beautiful thing to have. When I was going through rush, I would immediately text my guy friends when I got home to see if I could come hang out. It was great to be able to take my makeup off, put my hair up, put sweats on, and just hang out after a long day of heels, dresses, and just all around girliness.

As dumb as they are, I really am thankful for the guy friends I have in my life and I wouldn’t trade them for anything in the world.