In the dictionary best friend literally means a persons closest friend. The word best friend gets thrown around on a daily basis. People are using best friend to explain a night with their friend or acquaintence. For example on Instagram you always see, "Had such a great night out with my (bestie/ BFF/ best friend)."
When you know they are probably hanging out, outside of school for the first time. Those people are not your best friends, one day they might become your best friend, but we have to put an end to overusing best friend. Once you find your true "best" friend. You know that is your best friend. I moved four hours away from mine and it still feels like I never left when we are reunited.
Your best friend is usually opposite from you, you get each other better than anyone else, you trust them 100% to not tell a soul your secret, that is the person you immediately text or call if something big happened, and you will always make time for each other. Someone is not your best friend because you hung out a couple of times and took cute pictures, your best friends are usually the people you have the ugliest pictures with.
Finding your best friend is like finding a soulmate. That is why you should not toss around the words best friend and I love you. It takes you a long time to find someone that means that much to you and build that trust so why waste it on ten casual friends? I constantly hear the phrase I love you being used from girls to girls, girls to guy best friends or young relationships using I love you at their three week anniversary.
If you enjoy your friends company or a joke they said say "You never fail to make me laugh" or "We always have a good time together." You do not have to tell your friend you love them, unless you mean it and it is your best-friend you can not imagine life without. Girls and guy best friends usually joke around and say "Love ya" and young teenagers usually say I love you because they feel like that is what love is.
Imagine if you were in a serious relationship and you finally said I love you after eight months. You would be nervous to say it, or have butterflies when your significant other said it first. That is the feeling you work up to, so why are you wasting those heartfelt words on friends who make you laugh or friends you have a good time with? "I love you" should be words you truly mean to your significant other, especially your family members. I love you means a feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection. If I had to guess the friends your telling I love you too you do not have a warm attachment to them. Stop throwing away the two words that mean the world in true friendships and relationships.