Each and every day, we encounter hundreds, maybe even thousands of people, whether we talk to them face-to-face or simply pass them on our daily commutes. We may not recognize some of these people. Maybe, we see these people around campus, at the grocery store, or at the gym. Perhaps, you see them on a regular basis, like your neighbors, classmates, or coworkers. Then, there are those people in our lives who are there with you every second of the way, even when they can not be there by your side. These people are the “golden ones.” It may sound cliche, but the people who stay by your side are golden. I sit here, thinking back to a song that I used to sing when I was in girl scouts: “Meet new friends, but keep the old. One is silver, and the other’s gold.” This song repeats itself over and over again inside my head, and as I have gotten older, I feel that I have developed an understanding of these lines.

There are several tell tale signs to whether a person in your life is golden, silver, or fools gold. I believe it is important to know who these people are because these people can determine whether there are toxic elements in your life or if they will guide you through difficult times.

One way to identify if someone is golden is if they are there for you and when. People, often, will stay by yourself when life is going well. When life seems to be going smoothly, we tend to be happy, and when we are happy, having fun and getting out of our comfort zone is significantly easier. Anyone can be there for you during this time. The true test to determine if someone is golden is if they are there during the difficult times. These are the times where you may isolate yourself. You may cry, become angry, or have emotional breakdowns because it feels as if life is falling apart. If someone stays by your side during these difficult times, they are showing their loyalty. They have your back, even when you are at your worst. Your “fool's gold friends” will abandon ship when life gets hectic. They do not want to be exposed to any negativity, so they often do not think twice about walking out on you are your worst moments. Your golden friends may struggle to make you feel better and may even make you feel worse in their attempts to bring a smile to your face, but at least they are there for you with a shoulder to cry on.

Another way to identify a golden friend from a fool’s gold friend is how they treat you. The people who make false promises, like, “we should hangout some time,” and never follow through or the people who say they will have your back no matter what but abandon you when you need them the most. The people who are golden will make time for you, no matter what it is going on. They may not be able to do something every day, every week, every month, or even every year. Schedules are busy. Schedules are conflict. That is normal, but a golden friend will do whatever they can to be by your side.