Although you can say that not having a lot of friends can be boring and exclusive it's actually the best sign of maturity. You've reached the true peak of maturity when you inevitably realize that having the same few people there for you over a long period of time beats having fake friends coming in and out of your life. Quality over quantity is the one of the oldest sayings in the book, but it's also one of the most accurate. I've lived my whole life compartmentalizing my friends and nothing has served me better. I have friends from theatre camp, 4-H, high school, and now college. And within those groups, there isn't necessarily a hierarchy just a select few that I choose to associate with more than others.

That isn't to say that having a lot of friends is a bad thing. It has more to do with the fact that having a few is not something to feel bad about. Although life may look like a popularity contest with the growing incessant need for Facebook friends and Instagram followers, it's anything but. Having few, but real and long-lasting friendships gives you the opportunity to get to know certain people on a deeper level. True quality friends are the ones that take the time to learn the most about you and ultimately accept you for who you are. If you focus on having a large number of friends, you could end up with what some people call "fair-weather" friends. Those are the people that are only around when things are good and pick and choose what they are willing to deal with in your life. Those are people that aren't worth your time because they don't accept you, respect you, or deserve you for all that you are.

I have and always will continue to choose quality over quantity because it's what really serves me best. I don't judge people for having a lot of friends, if that works for them I'm envious. I certainly won't deny friendships that come my way in order to keep a small circle, but I know that the few I count on now are currently what's most important. For me, friends I can count on one hand are the best option and it's even better that those in it don't collide. It gives me the chance to keep in touch easily and regularly while equally focusing on their lives as well. I have those to go to in every area of life and I know them all well enough to know they won't go anywhere no matter what. Having a lot of friends doesn't make you any better or worse, but having a few true ones can very well benefit you in the long run.