So many people have told me that you will have one best friend that will change your life, who will be there for you through thick and thin. They will be the yin to your yang, the peanut butter to your jelly, the orange juice to your champagne.

I am not so certain. I’ve had a few best friends in my life that have all changed me in some way or another. They each bring their own spunk and sparkle to my life and offer me something unique in terms of their friendship. I'm a better person because of each and every best friend that I've had and I hope that I've also bettered their lives in some way.

The five (of many) different best friends you will have in your life:

1. The Childhood Best Friend

That one kid you just straight bonded with during pre-school. You were thrown into a new school to socialize and learn how to tie your shoes, so the first kid that smiled at you—you latched onto their hand and never let go. You claimed her as your best friend because you liked her pink dress. You stayed her best friend because even your 4-year-old self knew she was genuine and kind. My childhood best friend was one of a kind. We understood each other; we knew who wanted the grape juice box and who wanted the cherry. We told each other everything and anything. When she moved away in first grade, we stayed close for years afterwards. We had a bond that was unshakeable…. Until growing up, time and other events (mostly my fault) got in the way. We drifted apart, which may happen with your childhood bestie. But for as long as I live, I will always love her and want the best for her. I will always wish endlessly that we could have stayed as close as we were when we played with ladybugs and splashed in dirty lake water together.

2. The High School Best Friend

You vibe with this best friend because you’re both trying to find your place in this new environment. High school is the ultimate mixture of all kinds of people. So many hormones are coursing through the hallways and you just need that confidant who will support you and help you survive the next four years (and if you’re lucky like me, the rest of your life). In middle school I was a quiet kid; I did my homework, I presented my projects and I stayed out of trouble. I was as straight of an arrow as they came. On the contrary, my best friend was a little bit of a wild child, but with the sweetest heart (the yin to my yang). She more or less taught me everything I needed to know about surviving high school. She helped me shed my naïve, "everyone is good" mindset I had at the time. Honestly, we became friends mainly from close proximity to each other, but our friendship grew because as we talked—really talked—about ourselves and realized we had so much in common. And where our opinions diverged, they complemented each other. I was scared to even hold a boy's hand in the hallway, and she assured me that everything would be more than OK if I did. I told her that she didn't need a boy's approval to be confident, and we rocked that single scene together afterwards. When I thought a scary movie was most definitely the way to go and she insisted on an action film, we would watch a rom-com. She is apart of every good and every bad memory I have of high school; she was either there with me, experiencing it, or helping me through it.

Disclaimer: We weren't voted Best Friends 2012 for any ole' reason!

Neither one of us had to prove that we were right to the other and that’s what made this friendship so needed from the first day of high school: Undisputed, unwavering acceptance of the other. (It's to be expected of the person who stuck with you through light-washed bell bottom jeans).

3. The Completely By Chance Best Friend

This is the best friend that you maybe bump into on the elevator and talk for three minutes, or sit next to in class on the first day and end up chatting through the whole lecture, and you just know you want to be their friend forever. They have some type of energy that just vibes with yours (excuse the extreme hippie reference). For me, this best friend appeared in the form of an open seat on the brick steps of Wright Quad. Freshmen Orientation at Indiana University terrified me because I hated meeting new people, hated foreign territory and all of these girls surrounding me were dressed in jean shorts and cute blouses and I had on a tank top and running shorts. Not even the first day of class and I wasn’t fitting in, but a smiling girl (also dressed to impress in running shorts) caught my eye and I asked if I could sit down next to her. The rest was history. She became the best influence I could have ever wished for; her confidence, her advice and her friendship literally (and I mean that in the most, well, literal way) helped me survive my first year of college. I would not be here if it wasn't for her. And to think, if I had arrived one minute later that seat would have been taken and we may have never met; the best friend you meet by complete chance is one that will completely change your life. She for sure changed mine.

4. The Best Friend You Haven’t Know For A Long Time, But You Feel Like It’s Been Forever

This friend, this most wonderfully beautiful friend, is the best friend that this time last year you didn’t even know well. Your friendship came out of nowhere but you can’t see your life without the other now. A year, in the grand scheme of life, is such a short time, but you two were together a freaking lot and bonded like you’ve known each other since the diaper days. She knows your secrets, you know hers, you both know the other is absolutely insane, but you balance each other out some way, somehow. You don’t ever grow tired of each other, even after living together and casually sharing the same bed for weeks. You two get each other. It's almost indescribable, your friendship that is, because sometimes it doesn't even make sense to you. How can someone that you've known a fraction of the time you've known everyone else understand you, relate to you and love you that much? It's so foreign to you! When you text “Drinks?” you already know the answer. When one of you is sad, the other knows exactly what to do to cheer the other up (usually it involves alcohol and venting). You hate the same people or hate someone simply because the other one does. You don’t need details because you know the reasons are valid. You will be there for each other because you both know this friendship is unique and incredibly remarkable. Two peas in a (recently picked) pod.

5. The Best Friend Who Is Always Down For A Good Time

This best friend is probably one of the most genuine, caring, spontaneous individuals that you’ve ever met. They go out of their way to make you feel special, and you love them for it. You two always have an absolute blast together no matter what you’re doing. From watching a documentary to taking one too many shots, whatever you two are doing together it is bound to be either absolutely hysterical or reckless beyond belief. Whichever one it turns out to be, it will make for a great story. This friend is there for you at the drop of a hat; if you’ve had a bad day she’ll be the first one to suggest an ice cream binge. If you’ve had a great day, she’ll be the first one to suggest a celebratory drink. Good or bad, through thick and thin, her friendship is what keeps you from consistently being too stressed out. She is your fun-savior. She keeps you grounded and she keeps you fun.

There are so many types of best friends in the world and each one is unique and special. Each one offers something different to your life, as you do for them. I know that I wouldn’t be anywhere close to the person I am today if each one of these friends hadn’t popped into my life when they did. It’s like the universe knew just what I needed to keep me going before I even knew what I needed.