Some of my best friends are people I have met, on average, less than twice in my life.
I've been out to visit Kitty in Colorado twice.
I've been to California and seen Mink twice.
And despite multiple trips to Florida, I'll be seeing Sky in person for the first time in January.
Despite the three of them having their own distinct and unique personalities, and living in such wildly different areas of the country, they have similarities that drew me to them.
The first major similarity is K-Pop. All three of them, I have met because of our mutual interest in groups like SHINee, EXO, and Block B. The upbeat music, incredible vocals, and insane dance skills are enough to suck anyone in - but you need someone to talk to about these things, and often times, real life friends have minimal interest.
Like any online fandom-friend, we got off topic fairly quickly because - frankly - life happens. As it turns out, Kitty and I both love Supernatural, Mink and I both enjoy anime, and Sky and I discuss makeup regularly. We talk about boys, girls, cute animals, and societal injustices. We comfort each other when we're sick and we talk when the day doesn't go well. We tag each other in memes and we chat about international politics.
The point here is that online friends are just as important, and just as impactful, and just as real as friends you make in your “real” life. Physical presence means nothing if you're not emotionally, or mentally, present as well. Online friends are still friends, regardless of the title you put before the word.
