For as long as I can remember, I’ve always been "one of the guys." Since elementary school, I often found myself hanging with the boys; there was never a lack of testosterone or machismo surrounding me. And it's certainly not because I'm stereotypically "boyish" — all it takes is one gander at my looks/mannerisms/athletic abilities/drinking habits, just to name a few (emphasis on stereotypically). But for some reason, I’ve always gotten along with guys really well and never cared if there wasn’t another girl there when I hung out with them.

Don't get me wrong, I adore my girlfriends. I love a good wine night just like the next gal. Nothing can trump ‘girl time,’ and I love spending time with my ladies in any capacity. But there’s something really different and great about my friendships with men — you won’t find a more unbiased, genuine friendship stripped of jealousy and ‘drama.’ Men don’t really get catty or sensitive and they’re usually not cliquey, either.

So whether you grew up in a family of all boys, or you were a star athlete, being considered “one of the guys” is a feeling you know all too well.

Here are a few others:

1. You understand the male mentality, which makes you a smart dater. You smell the cheaters and douchebags from a mile away, because one of your bros is a player, and you know his tricks.
2. You may also be a bit of a cynic, because you have seen these guys do it all.
3. It really is nice to sit back in some baggy shorts once in a while with your hair in a messy bun, kicked back on someone’s couch watching the game and eating a slice of pizza without being judged, or having your every move sexualized.
4. When you decide to date a guy, you know how to be his girlfriend and his best friend.
5. You always pass your boyfriend through your guy friends for screening.
6. Their girlfriends hate you because you're always around, and they secretly, misguidedly think your planning to steal their boyfriend, but yuck, he's like a brother to you.
7. They are always asking you to hook them up with a hot chick, or be a female wingman...
8. And you’re actually the best wingman, because the chicks they’re trying to bag trust you more than them.
9. You know all of the taboo topics like periods, and you try not to ruin their crushes by telling them that girl at the bar had fake breasts and eyelashes.
10. You end up sitting through hours of mindless conversations about butts and breasts and which girl is hotter.
11. You have become their Lord of the Ladies. They constantly come to you for girlfriend advice.
12. They aren't generally emotional with each other. So on the occasion that something makes them go soft, they suddenly remember that you’re, in fact, a girl, and it's now your job to have deep and meaningful conversations with them.
13. Your boyfriends are constantly questioning your friendship with them, no matter how much you say, "he's like a brother to me.”
14. You’re never afraid to come to them for REAL relationship advice because they aren’t afraid to say point blank “he’s playing you” …no matter how head over heals with him you are.
15. It’s hard to befriend their girlfriends. She’ll expect you to take her side because you are also a female, but loyalty for your guy friend runs deep.
16. You’re always down for random fun activities, like paint-balling, go-karting, attending sports games and other male-dominated things.
17. You can joke around with them and discuss inappropriate, vulgar subjects without being judged.
18. However, being the only woman, you’re an easy target for the butt of all of their jokes. In this you develop some very thick skin.

Like most things in life, there are pros and cons to having mostly males in your life, but in the end, I wouldn’t trade my friends for anything in the world (except for an ice cold brew and center-ice seats, of course).