Have you ever made a friend that purposefully tried to embarrass you in public and degrade you to make themselves feel better? If you haven’t, be lucky because “friends” like that are toxic. No one deserves a toxic friend who only seeks to bring you down to the level of how they feel. Personally, I felt down all the time in my first semester of college until January when I could no longer take any more. After that, I ignored messages and phone calls just so I could get away and not cave in to their self-pity. I hate to be that person, but when other people start making comments about how a friend treats you, it is time to let them go.

One of the first things you should notice about ‘that’ friend is how they talk and act in front of you and others. There is a clear difference from joking as a friend and literally trying to degrade you. It is all in their tone of voice and body language! As an example we could call someone dumb as a joke but you laugh and say the phrase in a sarcastic manner. Right? Well that friend when they say the phrase “Why are you so dumb?” or “You’re an idiot!” either may laugh halfheartedly (like a fake laugh) or not even bother to try laughing. Friends who try to make you seem dumb is not the friend to keep.

Some friends will keep people in their best interest when they want something so badly, that the want can turn to jealousy. Jealousy is not a fun trait to be around because it can and will make everything worse. For some people, their life may seem one hundred percent figured out, but in reality they only seem to know what they are for sure doing in life. Others use their not knowing and make it known that life is not figured out, but frankly do we even know what we are doing in life? Honestly, I think I know what I am doing but I know plans and things in life happen that makes us change our future plans. Sometimes, we just have to be realistic to what is going on and how likely it is to get our dream job right after college.

Sometimes you need more than a friend who just complains all the time. Honestly, I think complaining is healthy, if you know how to complain for a little and then do something about it. But no these type of friends just constantly complain and fail to acknowledge the fact they could make it better. Be a go-getter and strive to make things better, especially the things people complain about. There are more things to life than complaining and frankly I’d rather talk about current events happening and bonding with my friends.

Trust me, ‘that’ friend is not worth keeping and they will hold you back from what you want to achieve especially in your college career. You will always be associated with them and despite the sly remarks, people will deem you to be just like them. Do you want to be classified as a user, jealous type, or rude type? I would hope not! I encourage you to leave that friend from first semester if they have treated you like any of the points above and find some friends worth keeping.