The question that haunts all college students, “Can a guy and a girl just be friends?” The answer is yes guys and girls can be friends, but there are usually strings attached. I know firsthand about all the ups and downs about having a guy best friend. The endless questions and assumptions of “Are y’all dating?” or “I just assumed there was something going on between y’all because y’all are always together.” The best reaction my best guy friend and I always got was when we told them I was dating his brother. It ranged from shock, understanding, or confusion. My former boyfriend and I were together for several years and he had a brother who was my age (my boyfriend was two years younger than me). It was not until college that my guy best friend and I started to really become close friends. We had classes together, the same scholarship, and lived in the same dorms. Even though we had plenty of other friends around, it was nice to sit down and talk to a familiar face after a long day. Whether it be early morning breakfasts at Chick Fil A or late night taco runs at Taco Bell, a day did not go by when we did not see each other.
The world is under false pretenses that men and women always have deeper feelings for each other no matter how many times they claim to be “just friends”. It is in our human nature to fall for each other, but every once in a while there is that lucky duo who are more like brother and sister. Having a guy best friend can be one of the biggest challenges a girl can face. There have been several times when I went to go see my guy best friend to cry, and he would let me cry for a minute on his shoulder, then all of the sudden he would tell me to suck it up and distract me with school, friends, or food. At the time, I was so confused why he would not let me vent to him for more than five minutes, but now I have a better understanding that he was only trying to make me stronger. There were times when he would sit down and listen to all my problems and then give me advice. The advice he gives me is taken to heart versus the words of one of my girl best friends. I think the reason is because there's always less drama involved with his advice. One of the biggest perks of having a guy best friend is always having someone to call when you are in a scary situation. For instance, the numerous phone calls he's received when I would get off work late and have to park in the parking garage. He always came to my rescue, even if he was busy. He teaches me about life from a guy perspective, helps me not to worry about the small things in world. Sometimes I wonder what my college experience would be like without him, and one word comes to mind- Dull. We both have days when we just want to sit and talk to each other rather than our significant others because there are no emotional strings attached. It makes things easier and we both can give outside perspectives on each other’s relationships and how to improve it.
I just want to say thank you for all the good and bad times I've had with my best friend. He deals with me at my worst and at my best. Defying the pretenses of men and women cannot be “just friends” is hard, but there is that one in a million duo that goes against the odds.
