Whether you're a social butterfly or an introvert you probably have one to three crucial friendships in your life. But usually you have to cycle through a few bad eggs to find the friends you want to keep. But how do you know they’re good ones? In my experience there were a few moments that solidified my choice in companions.

Probably the earliest of these was when I had my first breakup. You can imagine that how wrecked I was since by my standards that was the worst heartbreak I’d ever had. Luckily, after it happened I got a text that said, “Come over I have Chinese food and Beyonce and it’ll all be okay.” The single best response I think anyone could have given me at that moment. And sure enough I drove over and spent the night and got free waffle house in the morning. Somehow I laughed more than I cried that night.

Aside from relationship comfort, a good friend should always be there to encourage you… for better or worse. Once I was shopping around with a friend and we spotted these insane leggings. They were full length with a super colorful galaxy print all over them complete with flaming comets and stars. Usually my wardrobe is much more lowkey than space leggings but for some reason that day they caught my eye.

“I know they’re sort of crazy but I’m kinda into them?” I said picking them up.

“Dude get them! Do it they’ll be super cool. Just do it!”

I walked around with them for at least ten minutes trying to make my mind up when my friend finally convinced me to make the out of character purchase. Honestly, I thought I might regret it but space leggings are way more fun to wear than you might think.

Aside from counseling sessions and encouraging my random impulses my friends have without a doubt kept me sane through their own insanity. We have this circle of trust and non judgment formed through our shared lack of sanity. What I mean by that is no matter how stupid or outrageous one of us may be that day there is never a shred of judgement because each of us know that given enough time we would totally top that. Maybe it's that we admire each other's craziness or the fact that somehow we all put up with each other but we have a huge amount of respect and love and trust between us all.

In short, you’re real friends won’t judge you for being who you are, they let you sleepover after breakups, and they make you live a little and just buy the damn leggings.