As everyone tries to navigate the scary world that is college, they form friend groups that more or less become their “home away from home.” After a while, these friends turn into family and they tend to fall into certain family roles when they do. These friends take on the characteristics of family members who have seen you at your best and worst, but who are still there when you need them. These are a few of the familial roles that friends can fall into.

Mom

This is the friend who looks after everyone and who is constantly checking in to make sure that everybody’s alright. They can be the leader of the group or the one who does all of the cooking, but this friend adds dependability to the group and constantly says, “Text me when you get home safe.”

Dad

Similar to the mom figure, the dad is a friend who offers comforting words, but who can also be stern when needed. They also look after the group and make sure that everyone is alright, but they don’t hover as much as the mom. This friend will let people make their own decisions, but they have a, “Don’t come crying to me,” approach when things go wrong. They also like to tell dad jokes and puns all of the time.

Cool Aunt

This is the friend who’s down to do pretty much anything. They know how to be an adult, but they can also let loose and have fun. The cool aunt is the friend who you can tell things to without fear of the “mom” finding out.

Crazy Uncle

Every family has that one uncle who no one knows exactly how they’re related and this friend is the same. No one’s really sure how they became friends with the group and they tend to do some crazy things from time to time, but now this friend has latched on for good. Everyone else finds this friend interesting, but they can be pretty crazy.

Favorite Siblings

These are your closest friends and the ones who you hang out with most often. You do a lot of things together and these are your core group of friends within the larger family structure. This is your go-to group and they're the friends who you know the best.

Big Brother

He has qualities similar to the Dad, however, the big brother is the friend who will give you friendly advice without the intimidation of a dad. While the big brother will stand up for you, he still teases you like a little sibling. They will also always listen to you and offer a shoulder to cry on when you need it.

Siblings With A Love-Hate Relationship

These friends are more or less your “frenemies,” since you would consider them friends, but, in truth, you really just love to hate them. They could be very lovely people, but you just don’t click with them as well as your other friends, whether it is because of their personality or interests.

Grandma

They always stay in and tend to go to bed relatively early, but they know how to have fun when they want to. This friend also has a habit of wearing a lot of sweaters and is one of the people who other friends go to for advice. While this friend likes to follow the rules, they do have rebellious streaks.

Roughhousing Little Cousins

Much like little cousins, these are the friends who still joke around and hit each other like 12-year-olds. They don’t have the highest maturity levels in the group, but these friends always seem to be having the best time hitting and trying to body slam each other to the ground or looking up the latest YouTube video to share with the rest of the group.

Distant Cousins

These are the friends who you only see at big group gatherings, much like the cousins who you only see around the holidays and on birthdays. It’s not that you don’t get along with them, but you hardly see them enough to get to know them very well. Whether it’s scheduling conflicts or different meal times, these are the friends who you still find interesting, but your timing in meeting up is always off.

In the end, you’re glad for all of these people who you can call a pseudo-family and you know that someone will always be there for you, whatever you need, as you make your way through the scary world of college and growing up.