When you are a child just learning about the internet, you are frequently lectured about using the web carefully. There is often a huge emphasis on not talking to strangers online, right? I can totally see why a parent might have concerns about strangers; you can't always be sure who is on the other side of the keyboard. Yes, it is important to be cautious with online activities, but what if I told you that talking to strangers on the internet could potentially be one of the best decisions one could ever make?

There are times when everyone feels alone. Sometimes the people around you just do not understand what you are going through. Sometimes it is not safe or is otherwise inadvisable to talk about certain things to people who live near you. Other times, it can come down to something as simple as sharing common interests such as Harry Potter, classic rock, cats, etc. Regardless of the reason online friendships start, they are no less valid or important than friendships with people you have met in person. Is getting a text message from your online friend in another state less real than the email you receive from your boss? No. No, it is not. Technology is a means of communication, not dehumanization.

Talking to people from other places gives us greater insight into what is happening in other parts of the world. It reminds us that our experiences are much more similar or much more different than we previously believed. We are reminded that the world exists far beyond our own backyards. Much like local friendships, online friendships can and often do include inside jokes, affectionate pestering, ranting to each other about various day-to-day grievances, and very deep interpersonal connections. If you live in a different country than your online friend(s), you might learn about things as trivial as a whole new world of sweets you don't have in your home country (God and the price of shipping willing, you might be able to get your foreign friend to send you some) and matters such as how the school/college system works in that country. The possibilities are numerous.

The worst part about online friendships is not being able to see those friends every day. You may never get to actually meet each other. You can't hug each other through a screen on the days where it feels like nothing in your life is going right. Sometimes falling outs happen and sometimes you drift apart like any other friendship. I do not say this to discourage anyone from forming this friendship, but it can, in some ways, be a double-edged sword. I have had my share of ups and downs with my online friends, but ultimately, I don't regret meeting a single one of them. Even if I no longer speak to some of those people or don't talk to them as often as I once did, I wish them all the best.