I'm sure everyone has heard the phrase "surround yourself with good influences." This was brought up by my mom when she picked me up from school one day. My mom told me that I need to start to differentiate the good from the bad, starting with the people I spend the most time with every day. She stated that the people I'm friends with may not exactly be the best.

I personally thought that she was targeting my friends, and I felt hurt as I believed that she didn't trust my own choices. But as she explained more, I began to understand what she was trying to say. She elaborated on the fact that people are more likely to pick up on bad habits, and she explained that she noticed changes in me that she never thought was possible, both good and bad.

I told this to Grace, a close friend, and the questions she had asked me afterward made me realize a couple of important concepts:

If you could miraculously become friends with anyone, who would it be? And why?

I told her two people who I believed were amazing. They are kind, outgoing, smart, capable and intelligent.

Next, list all your closest friends. Why do you like spending time with them? What do you see in them? What do you admire about them?

Grace, for her realistic, down-to-earth thinking. She is blunt, and she isn't afraid to speak the truth. She is observant, intelligent and understanding — traits that I don't see in a lot of people. As someone who hides their opinions in fear of opposition, I admire that greatly.

Kyle, for his intelligent mind and interests. We share similar hobbies and classes, and I find it so easy to talk to him. We're able to joke about each other without any bad intentions, and I don't relate to anyone as much as him.

Jordan, for her adaptability. She is friendly to everyone, and she can adapt to be a part of any friend group. She is hilarious, but she can also be serious when necessary. I'm an awkward person, so I don't understand how she does it.

Nicole, for her talent and confidence. She presents herself in such a positive manner, and her people skills amaze me. She is positive in every situation, and she puts 110 percent effort into everything.

Piper, for her positivity and outgoing personality. She is so positive and never had I experienced a dull moment with her. She makes brightens up the room, and her cheery attitude towards everything is enough to make my day.

Now, if you are able to build the one ideal friend, what characteristics would he or she possess?

So with that, I combined all of the characteristics listed above. Realistic and down-to-earth, intelligent mind and interests, adaptability, talent and confidence, positivity and outgoing personality.

And finally, is the ideal friend what you want to see in yourself?

I stayed silent before I realized yeah, the ideal friend is really what I wanted to see in myself.

At that moment, I realized that I am friends with all those people because they all possess something that I want, something that I believe I don't have. It reinforces the idea that I need to surround myself with good influences — I subconsciously spend time with people I believe are exceptional in a certain area.

Yes, they have bad habits as well, ranging from being completely disorganized to having an ego that is widely hated. Some of my friends are sensitive, and some hold unnecessary grudges. The terms "good" and "bad" go hand in hand because one can't exist without the other. Not to mention, it's all subjective. Though my friends may not be perfect in any way, I see past these characteristics. After all, you only notice the good traits when you admire someone.

And on that day, I realized that the ideal friend reflects what I truly want to be. And if I wanted to find my ideal friend, I might as well start with myself first. I needed to improve my mentality, my physical and mental health and myself.