True friendships are admittedly rare, but they are possible if you know how to be one yourself and what to expect from others you want to call friends.
In general, based on 2021 survey data, the average person in America has between 3 and 5 close friends. According to this survey: almost half (49%) report having 3 or fewer close friends. over one-third (36%) report having between 4 and 9 close friends.
True friends are hard to find. When you have someone in your life who you know, from the bottom of your soul, has your best interests at heart, do not take them for granted. Keep them close to your heart and cherish their beautiful friendship. “There is nothing on this earth more to be prized than true friendship.”
A real friend is someone that you can rely on. You know that they will keep their plans with you. You know that you can rely on them to show up for you when you need it. Real friends are people that have proven they will show up for you in the past and will continue to do so because you are a priority to them.
The perfect friendship
It's the most solid kind — and the rarest — but it's still possible. It's a friendship that goes beyond utility or pleasure. Instead, you truly appreciate the other person for who they are. There's also generosity here because you aren't trying to get anything out of it.
Lifelong friendships are rare — and that's part of what makes them so special. Cherish your opportunities if you are so very lucky to have such a gift, and don't take for granted the relationships you have. Are we really meant to have the same set of friends throughout our entire lives?
And no, YOU CANNOT HAVE MORE THAN ONE BEST FRIEND. Grammatically and logically speaking, your “best friend” is the “BEST” out of all your friends. Those of you that are similar to Kim K and have 50 best friends … surprise, 46 of them are just friends or acquaintances who fulfill nothing in your life except your ego.
Sometimes it's possible to stay friends for life and sometimes it isn't. Over time, your interests, activities, and view of life change, and your friends' do too! To make a friendship last, you have to be ready to adapt and make an effort. Here are some ideas on how to make your friendships last a long time!
Obviously, most people don't meet all of their friends during childhood and, unfortunately, not all friendships last forever. The poll found that the average friendship lasts for 17 years, however, 17 percent say they've had the same best friend for over 30 years!
A true friend, because they love you, will stand by to help overcome obstacles. That could mean giving a shoulder to cry on, listening to our problems, or finding ways to cheer us up. Those small gestures can mean a lot especially when times get tough.
According to “The Friendship Report,” a global study commissioned by Snapchat in 2019, the average age at which we meet our best friends is 21—a stage when we're not only bonding over formative new experiences such as first love and first heartbreak, but also growing more discerning about whom we befriend.
Throughout our lifetimes, friendships can come and go. Sometimes it's a matter of distance and sometimes it's a natural transition of growing apart. Then there are those who are lucky enough to hold onto some dear friends from their childhood or early adulthood.
'False friendships' describe relationships where someone pretends to be your friend, or is your 'friend' sometimes, but actually uses their power to bully you. Sometimes bullying isn't as straight forward as someone openly being horrible to another person.
alliance. nounfriendly association, agreement. accord. affiliation. affinity.
While she and other friendship researchers admit there aren't many studies that have specifically tackled the question of how many friends people should aim for, those that have been done offer a range — and somewhere between three and six close friends may be the sweet spot.
A study from 2016 revealed that only about 50 percent of your friendships are actually real friends. That means half of the people you consider a friend probably don't feel the same about you. Ouch. The study, which was led by researchers from MIT, analyzed friendships of 84 classmates between the ages of 23 and 38.
What he discovered was that only about 30 percent of our closest friends remain tried and true after seven years, and 48 percent remain in our immediate social network (meaning we actually talk to or hang out with them on occasion).
The most common reason isn't tension; it's just that friendships fizzle out, both experts say. Friends move, get a new job, start a family and may just gradually stop talking to each other. One study found we lose about half our friends every seven years, Franco says.
Despite the high volume of #squadgoals grams posted by acquaintances you don't actually go out with, it's actually perfectly normal to have just a few close friends. So whether you've grown apart from your high school or college friend group, or never had one to begin with, here's why—and why it's OK!
You trust your bestie more than anyone you know, and a true friend keeps your secrets always and forever. You know that whatever you tell each other in your best friend convos is locked away for good. It's basically held in a highly guarded vault.
Recent research actually tells us that the average female friendship lasts 16 years, which is 6 years longer than the average romantic relationship. Once we turn 55, our friendships on average last 23 years!
Sociologist Gerald Mollenhorst investigated how the context in which we meet people influences our social network. One of his conclusions: you lose about half of your close network members every seven years. You are stuck with your family but you can choose your friends.
❤️ BFF. You have been each other's #1 Best Friend for two weeks in a row.
Originally, Lynn Luongo and Diana Piccininni started using the term BFF about 30 years ago when writing cards and letters to each other. The term BFF was popularized by the TV Show Friends (see Episode 78: The One at the Beach, 1997). Acronyms tend to originate organically.