At the beginning of high school, I wouldn't say I had "a lot of friends", but I had a good amount. I hung out with all the different friend groups, and I was pretty sociable with a lot of different people. However, by the end of high school, we all drifted apart and I hung out with maybe four or five of those people frequently.
I realized that I didn't need a big friend group to be happy and not lonely. I can have three close friends and be even happier. By the end of senior year, I have three friends that I know will always be there and always will have my back.
They're the people I hang out with the most and talk to daily. They're the people who have been there through my lowest days and actually deserved to be there for my best days. They've proven to me through ACTION that they will always have my back.
When I say "action," I mean they're always checking up on me and making sure I'm doing well. They're always there for me to talk to and will actually pick me up to hang out and talk when I need someone.
If you, reading this article right now, think you need a ton of friends to be happy and not feel lonely, you're wrong.
The loneliest I've felt these past four years were the times I had a lot of friends. I learned that having four or five close friends is way better than having 20. The four friends I have now always have my back and they've shown it.
More friends mean more drama and a higher likeliness of them being fake friends that will not have your back in the long run. They'll be your friend during the good times, but as soon as you're going through a rough patch, they'll leave you in the dust.
I know this is a tough pill to swallow, but it's the truth.
I am so grateful that I've met the people I am closest to now. I can't even describe how much they've affected my life in the best way possible. They're the ones who've stuck by my side since the day we became friends.
I had friends from all different friend groups who, at the time, I thought were real friends and actually cared about me. They weren't. The second I stopped reaching out first or doing something they didn't like, they left me in the dust.
The people I have in my life right now are considered family, and they've been there through the worst and the best. They're people I hope to have as friends for life.
