To read "100 Things 16 Year Olds Should Be Told," click here.

Being 16 can be so much fun. Typically, you have far less financial strain than you will have for the rest of your life. You still have lots of time to figure out what you want to do with your life. You have homecomings, proms, parades, etc. to look forward to. You get to wear pretty dresses twice a year and have sleepovers with the friends you have had since birth, and you're all in the same place because no one has gone off to college yet. It really is a unique and fun time in your life.

Of course, being 16 has its challenges, too. Sadly, one of the challenges can be exactly one of the fun parts: friendships. Friends can actually add plenty of stress to high school life if the friendships go awry. Some might argue that they add the most stress. Now 21, I have been around the block a few times when it comes to friendships, and I am now at a place in my life where I believe I have nothing but the truest, sweetest people in my life. The key to avoiding these types of issues is to surround yourself with people who are what friends should be. These are just a few of the qualities to look for in genuine people.

1. They are happy for your happy, and sad for your sad.

These friends are not the jealous type. They love you, and not in the way that the caption on their latest Instagram photo says "I love you." These people really love you, and want your happiness. They feel joy when something good happens in your life, and they feel actual sadness when something does not go well for you. Part of feeling real love for others is wanting to keep them from feeling pain in their lives, and softening the blow when they do.

2. They are happy with you, right where they are.

In other words, these friends are not social climbers. Social climbers are people who are set out to surround themselves with whoever they have access to that will make them look the best. Social climbers may be your friend when they can't find anyone "better" who will elevate their high school social status higher, but drop you the second they do. This feels crappy. Your real friends might have friends in lots of different areas, but will always take pride in you just as you are. They will see all of their friends on one even social plane, and will never make you feel that you are less or unworthy.

3. They will include you when appropriate.

Have you ever been told you "wouldn't like this party" because the people there "aren't really people you'd hang with?" If so, please walk away. Real friends will be open to introducing you to their friends, no matter the mixing of social groups that will take place (because really, social groups are a bunch of B.S.). That is not to say that they can't hang out with their other friends separately, but they also won't be super rude about it. For example, they absolutely wouldn't leave hanging out with you to spontaneously go to a party without asking if you would like to go.

4. They can go a long time without talking to you, but nothing changes.

This one is important. Life is a busy mess. There is a new sense of loyalty than there used to be, with technology and social media blossoming. By no means do you have to keep in constant contact with friends in order to keep them. Friends understand that you have obligations, and will not take your busy life personally. When you do get to see these friends, they are a great sense of calm in the chaos of life.

5. They will protect you from danger, but only actual danger.

Your friends do not want you to feel pain or be hurt, as mentioned in #1. If your friend senses that you are dating a boy who will hurt you or are hanging out with the wrong crowd, they will tell you in order to let you know their concerns. That is OK. Take on their perspective, and you may be able to see that you could have gotten hurt had it not been for their warning. However, these friends will likely not intervene if no danger is present, such as a new boy you are dating whom is not hurting you in any way but whom they do not prefer. It is OK for these friends to voice why they do not prefer them, but only one time. If the friend keeps letting you know, then it's getting old and unkind. Real friends like seeing you happy, even if the same partner would not make them happy personally.

6. They will refrain from gossip that is hurtful.

If you have a friend that constantly talks about all of their other friends behind their backs, or tells you about everyone who talks about you behind your back, take a step back and wonder why these people were so comfortable to talk about you in front of this friend. Also, take into consideration that this friend feels comfortable to talk about all of her friends to you. Do you honestly believe that this friend does not talk about you to others, also? I think this is one of the hardest habits to kick, but gossip is messy and hurtful, as well as often not entirely true. We are all guilty of it in some form or another. I try to stick to this rule: if this is not something I would confront this person about to their face, I will not confront it to anyone else behind this person's back. It is unfair, as well as a display of passive-aggression. Be someone who shuts down hurtful conversation.

Real friends are hard to find, especially in the dog-eat-dog world of high school. Hopefully, the tips listed above will help you weed them out a little easier. If you feel uneasy about someone, or if someone makes you feel poorly about yourself, feel free to politely and quietly walk away.