Friendship is an important aspect of life. Friends are there to help you, hang out with you, and drive to your house at three o'clock in the morning because you need them.
In the movie "Mean Girls," there are plenty of friendship tests to see who is a real friend and who is a fake. Even though it takes place in high school, these lessons can be applied beyond that; we might all meet our own Regina George later in life. Here are six ways that "Mean Girls" showed us what true friendship is.
1. Helping you get the guy/girl of your dreams.
A real friend will help you, or at least support you. Granted, Janice's methods for helping Cady get Aaron were on the extreme side, but she tried. A fake friend will say that they'll help you, but they really just want your crush for themselves, and will try to find a way to sabotage your relationship. After all, who could forget Regina kissing Aaron right while Cady was watching? Ouch.
2. Telling you whether or not they like something of yours.
A real friend will give it to you straight; they either love it, like it, or hate it. It's also a good idea to listen to them, if they say your new perfume smells like a baby prostitute, you might want to throw it out. A fake friend will do the opposite. They will throw on a fake smile and say they love your bracelet or backpack, but then turn around and tell others it's the ugliest thing they've ever seen.
3. Calling you by another name.
A real friend will come up with a playful, fun nickname for you. Take, for example, Janice purposefully mispronouncing Cady's name as "Caddy" instead of it's real pronunciation, "Katie." A fake friend will "affectionately" call you something more hurtful, like loser.
4. Letting you be yourself.
A real friend will never try to change who you are, because they liked the real you to begin with. A fake friend will turn you into a clone of themselves, complete with signature catchphrases.
5. They'll leave you alone if you have other commitments.
A real friend will understand if you have to babysit or hang out with your family. A fake friend, on the other hand, will try to convince you to change your plans, even if it means hurting someone else.
6. Celebrating your friendship.
A real friend will find a way to show you they care about you and that you are a great friend. Janice's art piece featuring Cady and Damien is a great example. A fake friend usually won't do anything, but will expect you to do something, like send them a candy cane.
Spotting the fake friends is not always easy; they can hide anywhere. But these six signs are good ways to keep an eye out.
