If you were to Google the term, “friendship,” you’d probably find some cheesy quotes about people being each other’s “partners in crime,” or friends being there for you when you cry, or just being there to chat about your life stories. I know this because I have Googled the term “friendship” (and just admitted that I have) just to see what comes up. And I can honestly tell you that everything I listed above is pretty much what I’ve done with my best friends. But best friends are so much more than that, so I’d like to spend some time talking about what I’ve actually learned from my best friends, because let’s face it, I don’t really know where I’d be without them.
1. It’s perfectly fine not to be perfect.
Best friends are daily reminders that even if you screw up, you have people there to calm you down and bring you back down to earth. They are your backbone, your reassurance, and go-to for a bad grade or bad day to remind you how great you really are and how far you will go in life.
2. Being positive is actually fun, even on the bad days.
Thanks to my best friends, I’ve definitely learned how to look at the bright side of life even in the darkest times. It’s friends like these that always know how to cheer you up when you didn’t even think it was possible. This doesn’t just mean sometimes being there with ice cream when you cry, but more like loving you at your best, and still sticking around at your absolute worst with a smile, hugs, and some kind of positive thought.
3. You may think you know all the hottest music before it’s popular. You could be wrong.
Because your best friend’s Spotify playlist has all the hits before they become popular, and then you ask her if she’s heard a specific song and suddenly realize she had it over a year ago. In any case, your music variety just got a whole lot better.
4. Doing laundry in college is more than just a “twice a month” kind of thing.
Victoria’s Secret five for $27 deals on underwear can only give you so many pairs before you become broke and have to do laundry for clean underwear. And waking up to an empty closet full of dirty clothes is scarier than the thought of going to class naked.
5. Being yourself is key to a healthy friendship.
Go ahead and let your freak flag fly. Luckily middle school is over, so you can stop trying to be cool.
6. Absence only makes the heart grow fonder.
Whoa, cheesy. Living away from your besties at various points of the year can be hard, but it only makes them more special and the time you do get to spend with them more meaningful.
7. You don’t have to have known someone your whole life for them to become your best friend.
Of course it’s super awesome to be a lifelong best friend with someone, but it’s also super awesome to meet people in high school or college that you now consider to be your best friends. I know that’s what happened to me, and I couldn’t be happier.
8. Adventuring is always a good idea.
Who doesn’t love spontaneously venturing out to stargaze, picnicking on a random friday, or exploring the city? Someday you’ll look back on those moments and realize they were some of the most special times.
9. Food can be a great bonding experience.
Sometimes it’s the little things in life, like finding a cute Mexican restaurant where some cute boys are also eating, or getting Taco Bell at ridiculous hours of the night/early morning, that can really bring you closer to your best friends.
10. A real best friend is so much more than you could ever imagine.
A real best friend isn’t just someone to post fun Instagram pictures with, or someone that favorites your tweets and likes your Facebook statuses. A real best friend is someone who you can always count on to be there at any point in time, and someone who will always love you no matter how many stupid decisions you make. I could go on and on, but I think this speaks for itself.
So, to my best friends, I would just like to say thanks for being pretty awesome.
