I'm sure you've heard phrases and sayings throughout your life that make you scratch your head. A simple yet idiotic question about friendship has been asked for a number of years now and i must say, I'm tired of scratching! Here is my take on the inquiry "can a boy and a girl be 'just friends'?". Friends are usually people who you can be yourself with so why does gender matter? If two humans enjoy the presence and kinship of each other, should the closeness of their relationship be dependent on society's ideas of heterosexual-ism? Implying that men and women can only be together for romantic relationships is rude and needs to stop! So here are two ways, two different set of people have coexisted as friends with their PLATONIC boy-friend and girl-friend.
My Best Friend: THE BOY
*For privacy reasons, we will refer to him as NavyBoy*
Kindergarten is a time for learning and building social skills. Finger-painting, mid-day naps, and cookie time was when school was regarded as a grand 'ole time. Then there was him. NavyBoy! We hung around the sand box and probably finger-painted together. We were both nerds (as nerdy as you can be at 3 years old) so we got along just fine! Years later we landed in the same homeroom, which also chose to join with a class across the hall, where every friday both classes would watch a movie. To this day, we have maintained our relationship and have not a major argument!
If possible, it seems NavyBoy and I got even closer around the time we entered high school. Those four years created memories, inside jokes, and a sort of language that doesn’t even need to be spoken between the two of us. I wouldn’t trade in the past 16 years with him for anything because there is nothing that can fill or even begin to try and match the void that would be left. After high school, i chose to further education at Keuka College, and he chose to serve in the United States Military. Currently a Gunner’s Mate in the Navy, and I, a current college sophomore, the separation was different but not detrimental. we never forgot who we were or what we meant to each other!
My Best Friend: The Girl
College is of course a place to make connection and friendships that last a life-time. Most college's or universities have times that new students come to get acquainted with one another and learn about their new learning institution. We met at NSO (New Student Orientation), we were put in the same group because of our majors and minor and told that we would be together for the entire day, enter: THE PURP. She didn't even look in my direction or acknowledge me for the entire day. Later I found out it was because I scared the crap out of her and I looked 25, but, whatever. A few weeks later was Transition Week and there was THE PURP....again. We FINALLY had a conversation and she realized I wasn't a monster.....sort of. So fast forward to the end of transition week, Sunday, before bed, friends sit and talk about God knows what. Right before we leave, THE PURP rolls on her back, puts her legs in the air, and lets a out a 10 second fart....ew. Everyone got up and left, but I knew that we would be friends for a very long time.
Friendship
One year later and we are still best friends. Now, this friendship didn’t come out of nowhere, there were some pretty serious arguments and times when we didn’t speak to each other. However, that’s because we aren’t and are the same. So naturally we had our moment and times where we didn’t see eye to eye, but we are best friends, so apologies were made and we moved on. Real bonding came when she broke up with a fellow student and I expressed my disdain for how he treated her and how I would never hang out with him again. I got brownie points I guess. To this day, I can talk to her about anything and she will listen and vice versa. We’ve learned A LOT about each other, maybe to much, but we have grown together.
