Have you ever heard the phrase: It’s better to have 4 quarters than 100 pennies?

That’s an ode to friendship. An analogy to having quality over quantity.

If there’s anything I’ve learned in 19 years, it’s that (as much as we don’t like to think so) we all need a little help from our friends. We need people we can lean on, people to support us, and most importantly, people to just laugh with when the going gets tough. I’ve been lucky enough to have these quality friends that have made my life infintely better.

Friendship means a lot of things, but the best sign of a good friendship, and I mean the kind of friendship that is real and true and honest, is simply knowing your friend is your other half. Together, everything is simply just better. Together, it’s not just talking about things that bother us, but talking to someone who understands and actually listens, providing advice that is worth something. It’s a friendship that is lofty and something I’m not sure how I survived so long without. So, in some regard, they are my other half. They really do understand me better than I understand myself. It’s not just some cliché. A good friendship is having someone who doesn’t even need to hear your issue, they can just give you the right advice anyways.

One of the biggest deal breakers for people I consider my best friend is if their morals line up with mine. I’ve realized that I (unfortunately) can’t control everyone, so I will still acquaint myself with you if vote Democrat, but the true friends, the really good ones, they’re the ones who vote Republican (and share the same values as I do. Sorry. Political rant over.) But really, it’s so important to be around people that believe in the same things as you do. People that want the same successes as you do, follow the same work ethic as you, and hold the same standards for the other people in their life as you do. It’s so important because, that way, you understand what each other wants from life and can do a better job at supporting them. They know your dreams and your goals – usually because their dreams and goals are the same. For someone who believes so strongly in my morals, I can’t imagine being surrounded by girls who don’t want the same things out of life. Yes, I’m open to differences and having people disagree with me, but I’m talking about good friends here. Your best friends. You deserve to be on the same brain wave with them on everything.

But what really matters? What really separates good friends from the girls you get Margarita Monday with? They’re the ones you call when times get hard. When all you really need is someone to hug you, someone to hold you, or someone to cry with – that’s when you need really good friends. Now, I like to think I can solve all my own problems and that I don’t need anyone offering a helping hand. Sometimes, I’m right. But when life is really happening fast, I’ve learned that I can only be slowed down by my friends. That’s why friendship is so important – because having good people to turn to is what keeps us alive and sane.

It’s special to have people that you can laugh with during the day, sit around with and not be bored, but still have those same people be the ones you can create a deeper connection with. It’s hard to find people that double as your friend and as your other half. Consider yourself lucky. Sometimes these friends sit on trains to come see you, sometimes they listen to you when you’ve had one too many margaritas or sometimes they drive across the state to surprise you if you haven’t seen them in a while. Maybe they're the Serena to your Blair, the Samantha to your Carrie, but whatever your friendship is, know that you’re lucky to have found girls who are all you’ll ever need.