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17 Friendship Things To Know By Age 25

Photo credit: Getty Images
Photo credit: Getty Images

From Cosmopolitan

1. You absolutely don’t need to tolerate flakiness. Look, we've all been there. It's okay to flake occasionally. But if you have one friend who makes enthusiastic promises to grab drinks and always cancels last minute, you are wasting precious brainspace and non-refundable hours of your life nailing down plans that’ll never actually happen.

2. There’s a limit to how much gossip is ok. It’s freeing to know that even your closest friends will make some small comment about you behind your back, just like you will about them. Everyone does some tiny, annoying thing that isn’t worth calling out but which you need to vent about for two minutes. But dissing the same squad member on the daily in a separate group chat is super unhealthy. If they annoy you so much that you need to constantly rag on them behind their backs, it's nowhere near real friendship.

Photo credit: Giphy
Photo credit: Giphy

3. Never feel bad about only having a couple amount of BFFs. Don't let squad pics on Instagram make you feel like you're missing out. One or two truly close friends is one of the best gifts life can give you.

Photo credit: Giphy
Photo credit: Giphy

4. You will regret ditching your friends for a guy. Real talk: if your relationship with a guy involves spending all nights of the week with him and cutting down your friend hangs by 95 percent, you will eventually break up from the lack of boundaries. And then you might come to realize that the same friends you abandoned aren’t so keen on grabbing a beer six months after you ghosted.

5. LOL, nope, your ex will probably not be your friend right after you break up. Exes-to-friends do happen and can be great, but they have to happen organically. AKA, your douchebag ex texting you out of the blue about how he misses you in his life “even as a friend” is not how most fulfilling friendships start.

6. Friends who actively compete with you are giant red flags. Like, if a red flag could grow arms and use a smartphone, it’d text “I’m so jealous of you” and catty backhanded compliments about your job promotion or new boyfriend. Run.

7. You don’t need to take sides right away (or ever). Unless you really don’t mind losing the friend you’re taking sides against, DON’T. Your friends should be able to handle conflicts one-on-one without pressuring you for input. Because even when they make up, you’re still on the record for sticking up for one person and skewing the balance, and it’ll come back to haunt you.

Photo credit: Giphy
Photo credit: Giphy

8. Think REALLY hard before moving in with your BFF. I have seen so many friendships ruined over one BFF being a total slob while the other stress-cleans the bathroom every weekend. Living together is completely different from grabbing dinner – if you both know you vibe similarly in your schedules and habits, great! If not, save a friendship and get a craigslist roomie.

9. You can go home without seeing old friends. Visiting your family over the holidays can be stressful enough – do you really need to factor in friends you hardly ever text or have anything in common with anymore?

Photo credit: Giphy
Photo credit: Giphy

10. Don’t be that girl who leaves her friend alone at a bar for a hookup. If you’re with a few friends who have each other, fine. If you brought one friend to hang with and then ditch them for some shlubby hipster with an artist loft, you are the worst. Even if your friend insists it’s ok, don’t do it! Get his number and bone literally any other time if you want this friend to ever hang with you again.

11. Set boundaries on topics that hurt your feelings. Sometimes, your friends think screenshotting your ex’s dumb Instagram makes you feel better – but if it’s constant and you feel slightly down every time, bring it up! They won’t know otherwise, and you’ll feel disproportionally bad and angry all the time.

Photo credit: Giphy
Photo credit: Giphy

12. Friend hangs are way more fun if you ditch your phones. The irony of having great talks over brunch with your friends is that you’re all usually too engrossed to take a group pic or 5,000 Insta stories of your French toast. And not having your phones on the table at all makes it so much easier to fully be with each other.

13. Dating your friend probably isn't a mistake. Obviously, give it some thought before a random hookup, but if half your time is spent wondering if you like each other and dearly wishing you had just met on Tinder – dude, just go for it. It’s a solid basis for a relationship and if you break up, you will either still stay friends or just make new ones. Live your life!

Photo credit: Giphy
Photo credit: Giphy

14. Ask your BFFs the really hard questions – that’s what they’re here for. I have friends who will openly talk out every nuance of their relationship or job for the sake of reaching a higher understanding of it, and I have ones who skirt over the bigger issues because they’re in denial or embarrassed. The latter are missing out – your best friends will help you realize the hard truths in your life, and be there for you through it all.

15. Living in different states won’t end your friendship. Yes, you’ll physically see each other less, but texting and Skype and last-minute-discount flight tix will help you through. It will not be as bad as you think if you’re truly that close.

Photo credit: Giphy
Photo credit: Giphy

16. Always make new friends, even if you “have enough”. New friends help you realize new passions or introduce new experiences – denying yourself new friends is denying yourself growth. Also, judgingly standing in a corner with your crew defeats the entire purpose of going to a party.

17. Best friendships take work, but it’s so so worth it. I can’t think of a BFF I haven’t called out for something at least once, and vice versa. Being receptive to each other’s needs and hurts is what’ll keep you friends for a very long time, and it’s worth the investment.

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