Everyone knows that in high school, the more friends you have, the more popular you are. The more known you are, the more friends you have. The more talented you are, the more known you are, the more friends you have, thus, the more popular you are. You can see where this is going.
But that was then, and this is now.
If you can count your most trusted friends on one hand, consider yourself lucky. Quality over quantity when it comes to friendship is highly valued, especially when you are going through the ups and downs of life. “Five Below” is what I like to refer to as your most trusted friends, the ones who will be there for you rain or shine. If your sister is your best friend, she is in your Five Below. Your cousin is your best bud? He goes in the pack. This group of people you can count on one hand are your stability, your support, your go-to people, and your recipe for a good time.
So what if you have so many good friends you can’t decide who is on the list? There is a way to distinguish between your solid life-long-friends and all the rest. Just consider these simple scenarios:
You see each other regularly, but only to party.
You feel comfortable texting, but awkward talking on the phone.
You withhold things from them because you think you may be judged.
You always have to look your best when you go to see them.
You can’t talk about politics or religion, because you think it will put a rift in the relationship.
You can’t have a night in without a T.V.
These friends are most likely your outer ring of friends. Nothing wrong with having an inner circle plus an outer circle, but these friends are not in your Five Below.
On the other hand, fulfilling requirements such as these will fast-track your friend into your inner circle:
You see each other so much you sometimes take a break because you get so sick of looking at their face.
The name you gave them in your contacts list is far from their real name.
You make fun of them constantly.
You don’t think twice about telling them potentially embarrassing things about yourself.
You can look like you spent five months living homeless and not care what they think.
You share clothes, drinks, food, and let each other borrow cars, money, or electronics without a second thought.
The characters are your best buds and your confidants. You can trust them and count on them for the things that matter the most to you. You feel safe and comfortable with them, and it will be that way for a long, long time.
Having lots and lots of friends is fun, but just remember that the ones who are there for life are the ones that make it on the Five Below. Even having just one single person you can trust for life is far more valuable than having one hundred you can trust for a day.
