I have just a few people who are really close to me, who I call my best friends and even my sisters. Each relationship I have with them is so completely different, but there’s always one thing in common; best friend dates are a must. They can be spur of the moment or they can be planned. They can be a night out on the town or they can be a quiet night in. No matter the view, the money spent, the things you eat and do, all that matters is who you’re with.

One of my best friends, Nadia, lives over 5 hours away from me thanks to her fancy private school. Now, we see each other even less than before because she has 2 jobs that keep her away from my clutches 90 percent of the time. When she does come home, we literally collapse into each other’s arms and then immediately jet off into my living room or bedroom to binge watch our favorite Marvel movies with our mugs of hot chocolate. This is us; it’s perfect for us. Neither of us are the type of girls who enjoy going out and drinking; if we go out, it’s to a midnight movie premiere with a tub of popcorn shared between us. During the school year, Skype dates are so vital to us. We’ve never been the duo that texts 24/7. We may talk once a week, if that, but we try to do a Skype call once a month to just catch up and love each other.

Now my friend Valerie? We’re foodies. The few times we’ve hung out, you can find us stuffing our faces with deep-fried goods and feeding some off to her daughter so we don’t seem completely fat. Despite knowing each other for about 13 years, we’ve only just become friends and I couldn’t be more thankful. She inspires me and she motivates me to keep my ass moving each and every day, no matter the obstacles. We live maybe 10 minutes from each other, but we don’t see each other often and that’s okay. Our friendship works best that way, I think. When we do finally see each other, it’s amaaaazing. We jump right into each other, as if we were never apart. Gossip flows, drinks flow, Britney Spears music gets blasted and we eat until we’re going to be sick. Like Nadia, we like to stay in. We’re comfortable that way. Scary movies and a glass of wine is more than enough for our dates.

Briana and I have been friends for over a year and we’ve only just begun to see each other outside of campus. We’re eccentric, a trait that is exemplified when we’re together. There are no rules between us, no boundaries; if we want to do something, we’re going to do it. Spur of the moment, she got her nose pierced. The next day, I got 3 outer conch piercings. I blew over $100 at Victoria Secret (I have no impulse control when I’m around her). She makes me feel brave, she boosts my confidence 200 percent. We love, love, love the same music, so that’s our thing. We drove out to Pittsburgh to see James Bay the other night and it was one of the best days I’ve had in months. She calms me and yet she excites my soul simultaneously. We feed off of each other’s vibes and it’s sincerely the most amazing thing. Miles away, I can tell when my baby girl is sad and vice versa. Whether we go out and spend all of our money or if we’re at my house, playing with all 6 of my animals and eating chocolate chip cookies, it’s all the same to us.

Some best friends need constant communication and others don’t; my friends and I fall into the other category. We can literally go months without a word from one another, but the second we lay eyes on one another, it’s like nothing’s ever changed. My dad always told me that you don’t need 20 okay friends; all you need is a couple of amazing friends by your side and those are the people that will never leave. After hearing him lecture me about that for years, I think I finally understand what he means.