You Don't Need A Large Group Of Friends To Be Happy | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Wellbeing

When It Comes To Best Friends, More Isn't Necessarily The Merrier

Take it from a girl gang-less girl.

288
When It Comes To Best Friends, More Isn't Necessarily The Merrier
Isabelle Roshko

Scrolling through my instagram feed, my first couple hours back in the home of my teenage years—always an arguably bittersweet day as you realize that, while you're not a child, you're most definitely not an adult—I lazily swiped past an instagram post by Man Repeller only to immediately swipe back up a millisecond later.

Pause. Man Repeller is not a site designed to repel men as the name would suggest, it's actually a brand focused on women's fashion and lifestyle, right down to the nitty-gritty and not-so-glamorous. Welcome to your new go-to for style advice, comical reads, and well-versed musings on life.

Back to the point—this post I came across had the following quote attached with a link to a Man Repeller article by Jennifer Epperson: "I've started to shift my focus away from who I 'should be' so that I can embrace who I actually am - and this includes appreciating the fact that I don't have a huge group of friends."

As a self-proclaimed advocate for quality over quantity I gave the article a good read and pondered the question of When it comes to friendships, is more really the merrier?

Social psychology would offer you an emphatic "Absolutely!" followed by two thumbs up and a link to Bumble BFF. True, social connection is a sure-fire way to turn that frown upside down and keep yourself occupied, but, again, is it the number of friendships or the nature of those friendships you do have that leads to the greatest source of joy?

I think back to the therapist of my adolescence, and while my fond memories of her are few and far between, one doctrine of sorts she drilled into my juvenile mind was this: "If you can hold up one finger and say to yourself 'I have one true friend,' then you're luckier than most."

Reading Epperson's article this idea became all the more pertinent, especially as she mentions the mainstream idea that having a "girl squad" means the more power to you (and if you've read my past articles you know I'm not a fan of cliques).

I found myself meditating on my meaningful friendships—those with whom I've divulged my deepest rooted fears, while also feeling free enough to expose my naturally ridiculous tendencies. As I went through each of these people I adore I realized that no two are alike, many have never met, and I am more than happy with the way these friendships coexist. I concluded that the quality of your relationship is oh-so much more important than the quantity and you're more likely to establish such friendships by spending one on one time.

Large groups of friends are great, and if you have a "squad" that's been by your side through all your hardships—marvelous. If not? That's great, too. All you need is that one friend you can count on for everything and anything.

Like I said, a good number of my best friends wouldn't even recognize each other on the street—and that's fine. In having different friends rather than one big gang, you open yourself up to so much more opportunity and eliminate some of the possibility of others feeling left out. You also ensure you're never going to have to choose sides in a friendship debate and you have other unbiased outlets in times of friendship crisis.

There is no shame in not having the ever-coveted girl squad and if you fall into this category, you're not alone.

As the we find ourselves in the midst of the holiday season, it's important to appreciate the loved ones you do have, rather than those you don't (they don't matter anyway).

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
coffee

It's finally flu season! It's around that time in the school year where everyone on campus is getting sick, especially if they live in the dorms. It's hard to take care of yourself while being sick at school, but here are some coping mechanisms to get you on the path to feeling better!

Keep Reading...Show less
Health and Wellness

The Battle Between College And My Mental Health

College isn't easy, and I'm afraid I'm not going to make it at the rate my mental health is going.

670
woman sitting on black chair in front of glass-panel window with white curtains
Photo by Anthony Tran on Unsplash

Everyone tells you that college is hard, but they fail to explain why. Sure, classes are hard. Math sucks, and political science can be so boring. But that's not even what's killing me about college. What's killing me about college is my deterioating mental health.

As a college student, I feel as if people don't understand just how exhausted I, and fellow college students are. We have so many things going on, all the time, and sometimes it's hard to explain to people how we feel. Personally...I'm tired. I'm sad. And I'm struggling every single day with my emotions. But the thing is, it hasn't always been this way. I haven't always hated school, so why am I feeling like this now?

Keep Reading...Show less
manager

For the average 20-something, life moves pretty fast. You’ve got classes, friends, relationships, jobs, family, and whatever else we overcommit ourselves with. I probably should have learned to say no to adding more to my schedule a long time ago, but instead here are 11 things that can be more helpful than coffee.

Keep Reading...Show less
Parks And Rec
NBC

Your professor mentions there's a test in a few days and you didn't know about it.

Keep Reading...Show less
Blair Waldorf

Resting b***h face. Defined as a person, usually a girl, who naturally looks mean when her face is expressionless, without meaning to. Many of you suffer from this "condition." You are commonly asked what's wrong, when nothing is. What people don't know is that is just your facial expression. Here are some things they wish you knew.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments