If you don't have any friends, you just might be a robot. Get that checked out. We don't need Skynet to become a reality.

However, if you aren't a robot, then you probably understand that without your group of friends, life would invariably be boring. Friends (and I don't mean facebook friends) make the world a more enjoyable place while providing an important social safety net. Even so, we can often end up taking our friends for granted. If you honestly think about it, how often do you thank your mates, bros., sisters, or squad for all they do for you? Probably not very often. This article intends to remedy that by going through four different reasons you are lucky to have friends.

#1 They check your ego

Have you ever felt that you are just the best? You know, the feeling that tells you that everything you do is absolutely perfect? If you answered no to that, then you probably have some good friends. One of the best things about your friends is that they know exactly how to knock you down a notch when you're climbing too high. One simple joke or wise crack can snap you back on track faster than you can say "quip." Fortunately, they do it in a humorous way that is also accurate. Without this important function of friendship, you'd probably become a pretentious monster. So remember the next time you get burned that it's for the best.

#2 They get you into crazy situations

I'm absolutely terrified of heights. Heights are the snakes to my Indiana Jones because I abhor the idea of falling. So naturally one of my best friends managed to convince me to ride the death trap of a roller coaster called "The Extreme Scream." Rather than scream, I just steeped in savage fearful furry all the way to the top of that monstrosity. For those who've never heard of it, "The Extreme Scream" is a tower that launches you into the air before simulating a plummet to the ground. It's awful, but my friend managed to convince me to get on it and now I have that great story to tell. All good friends find a way to get you to do dumb (yet more often than not fun) things. They are the ones who manage to get you up at 3 in the morning to go to a cheap diner, and we love them for it.

#3 They encourage you

During my freshman year of high school, I did not have the best confidence in my abilities to succeed. I avoided putting myself out there because I was scared of failing. Fortunately, I had a friend who believed in me. They convinced me to not only take my first AP class on a leap of faith, but they also convinced me to join the school newspaper. Those two decisions changed my world. It was a change that led to me growing in my self-worth and capabilities as a student. Friends have a way of encouraging you to pursue things you would never have before. It's not always something like classes or clubs, sometimes it is something simple like getting out of your dorm room. Sometimes we need someone else to show us the way.

#4 They are there for you

We've all had moments of doubt wrapped up in self-depreciation. The feeling of being incapable, or worthless is an unfortunate part of life. Fortunately, you can count on your friends to help you through it. Without someone to help you out of the pit of insecurity, life would be miserable and impossible to get through. I can't count the number of times I've gotten through hard times solely because I had friends. Everything from feeling like I'd fail, to my recent breakup: my best friends have helped me through it all. Without them, I wouldn't be where I am today.

So, take a moment to say thank you to all of your friends today.