Especially throughout our teen and adolescent years, it is difficult to distinguish our real friends from our fake ones. During these years of our lives, we all meet new people who we might have things in common with and we don't think twice before befriending them.

Sometimes these friendships work out and you remain friends for an extended period of time. However, there are other times where these friendships end up crashing and burning. It might be hard for us to admit it, but sometimes we make bad judgments when it comes to making friends.

Somebody might make a great first impression on you and turn out to be a toxic friend, and a toxic person in general. These friendships start out so well, things seem so right, and you would never guess that there was a near end in sight.

They might be your go-to for everything and you have no idea that they'll soon go away. You go everywhere together and don't even think about making plans without consulting each other first. Your family becomes their family and vice versa. You spend so much time together that any argument you two have ends within a minute of it starting.

Everything seems to be great until they begin showing their true colors. All it takes is one day for things to go downhill. On this one day is when you start to realize that this friendship was not all it was made out to be at all and you cannot stomach the thought of staying in the friendship any longer.

Whether you get into a really bad fight, or they decide to take you for granted out of the blue, this day is going to come eventually. You realize that a decision has to be made, either you stick with them and see what happens, or you end things for good, for your own sake.

In the beginning, you might be hesitant, and maybe even against ending such a seemingly close friendship, but with time you will realize that it might be best to put yourself first. Actually, in situations like these, you should realize that you need to put yourself first sometimes.

Nobody has the right to treat you badly or make you feel bad about anything, or whatever the case may be. Friends might come and go but in the end, you'll always have yourself in the end. Friendships, good or bad, should never change the relationship you have with yourself.

This semester in college, I was given a wake-up call with some of my friends, to say the least. I learned that some of the people who I thought were my best friends ended up being incredibly toxic and I don't need that kind of negative energy in my life. Remember, everything is not always what it seems, and sometimes you have to put yourself first.