Have you ever heard someone say that the more you hang around a person, the more alike you become? Or that the longer you own a dog, the more you look the same? I’ve always wondered if this were true. Sure, I’ve seen best friends finish each other’s sentences and then laugh, but do people really become more like their friends the more they are together? I decided to do a little research on this subject. Now, there’s nothing really to go on scientific study-wise, so I’m just going off memories and personal experiences here.
My first example is of my relationship with my friend Rachael. We’ve known each other since preschool but had never been close until we roomed together our first year of college. We were pretty much polar opposites when the year began. She was a dedicated nursing student who never really smiled, or at least never let anyone see her “break”, but she was a daredevil. I was a procrastinator who loved to laugh and smile and joke around. I would play a game and try to “break” her and get her to smile or laugh every chance I got. As the year went on, however, we both changed. She began to lose her edge that she tried so hard to protect and I began to try things I would have never done before. We would stay out late with friends playing hide-and-seek in Walmart or going to the river at night to watch the stars. Movie nights became a commodity, and McDonald’s was the main hang out place for our group of friends. Whenever the two of us were together, our friends would say that Rachael and I “fed off each other’s craziness” and were just “flat out weird”. We went from not knowing what to talk about, to having so many inside jokes that we can say one word and burst into hysterical laughter, while everyone around us sits in confusion. Phrases like “wonkity-jung-jorn”, “red splat, green splat” and “I’m going to eat this with my mouth” would have no importance to anyone outside of our friend group. Even then, they may think we’re crazy if we bring these up. This example proved the theory correct.
Other examples are just small incidents showing the theory to be true. Hanging out with my friend Angie has made me start to make strange squeak noises every time something surprises me, just like she does. Being around Lucas has given me a sudden urge to growl at inopportune times, which he does often. After becoming friends with the drama group, I tried out for musicals and plays, trying my hand at acting. Chamber choir led me to know millions of random Harry Potter facts so that I could join in on the discussions and trivia quizzes. Little habits have formed stemming from the people around me.
Thinking about all of these examples, I guess the theory proves correct. The more you get to know someone, the more you become like them, and they like you. It may not be anything drastic, but the next time you’re around your best friends, think about how they have made you different, or the habits you may have picked up from them. One thing I know for sure from my little study: weird is contagious.
