There comes a time in every person’s life - well not every person, but you get the idea - where they truly believe that if only *fill in the blank celebrity* would meet them, they would be best friends. 

This comes from the idea of a para-social relationship. Yup, I actually used a term I learned in class; congrats readers, you get scholarly content. Para-social relationships are basically stalking from a distance, where one person doesn’t know the other exists, and the other thinks they’re best friends. This happens all the time with celebrities just because we see them in all aspects of life, from interviews on Ellen to “Celebrities: They’re Just Like Us” spreads in magazines. Paris Hilton even created a reality TV show based on the idea of everyone thinking they can be friends with celebs. It began with 25 clingy "Simple Life" fans attempting to be the next Nicole Richie and within a week of the show ending, Paris was friends with none of them (what a shocker).

A choice example of America’s celeb BFF would be the lovely Jennifer Lawrence - America’s favorite sarcastic, witty, free-spirited actress whose snarky interview comments somehow just work for her when, if said by others, would result in unadulterated shame. Maybe it was the endearing tumble to pick up her Academy Award where we were all like, “Man, I can relate to this girl.” Then we have Emma Stone, with that raspy voice and a sense of humor that just doesn’t quit (see Jimmy Fallon’s lip sync battle). We all feel like if we met these people, we could all just vibe. 

Do not even get me started on middle school girls and their firm belief that if only Harry Styles would run into them at a One Direction concert (after their parents dropped them off) that the flowy-haired Brit would fall in love with them. Then they have this whole backstory set up where they will go on  to explain how they’ll be best friends with all the other boys and now they don’t even have to graduate school because the life experience of being friends/in love with One Direction is more education than  they could ever need. (Note: the vivid detail of this story is due to a genuine conversation had with a  middle school girl earlier this month, no joke.) 

I know this might come off as crass and maybe as a bit of a shock, but you don’t actually know these people. You can say all you want, “Oh if we cross paths at some random airport it’ll be so chill and we’ll be best friends.” Or even if you meet them and take a quick picture (I’m taking about you, Waka Flocka fans) they still very much have their own lives and I can guarantee your friendship is pretty one sided. 

So until the moment we realize that JLaw won’t be kicking it in a fraternity house or Emma  Stone won’t go off and get late night Qdoba with you, I say we soak up the friendships where both parties are actually aware of what’s happening.