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Why Best Friends Break Up (and Why It’s Okay)

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Washington chapter.

Roses are red, but this friendship got me feeling blue. 

Some people come to your life to bring you joy. Some people come to your life to bring you tears. Some people come to your life to make you feel the bitterness of the world. Some people come to your life to make you feel the greatness of life. Having a best friend to share your life experiences with is like sharing the blissfulness of the air in an open forest, seeing the water in the flowing river and seeing the sunset and blue sky in the afternoon. It is what makes life worth a living. Not only they are there to laugh at your jokes, but also to celebrate with you when things go well and lend you a shoulder to cry on when they don’t. They keep you company, and there is no doubt that you hope the friendship will last forever. But most friendships don’t. Not all your BFFs will actually be your best friends forever; some friends turn into strangers or enemies, suddenly or over time. Here are some reasons why it is okay to lose a best friend — and why you shouldn’t blame yourself.

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1. The relationship was toxic.

A toxic friendship can be just as bad as a toxic relationship. Maybe your friend is a bad influence on you or they make you feel bad about being yourself. A best friend would never do that. They’re there to grow with you without making you feel like you’re giving up who you are or that someone is continually judging your behaviors. When they stop acting like a friend, it’s time to stop treating them like one. 

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2. Long distance is hard

It can be the toughest when you see them every day and then all of sudden hardly ever see them. But life changes and it can be challenging to keep in contact with someone that you haven’t seen in weeks or even months. The internet is truly making communication easier, but the truth is you don’t have time always to keep track and being out of the loop can make it hard to stay close. Not saying that you can’t remain in touch with them, but sometimes you have to stop expecting the friendship will stay as strong as it used to be. 

3. People change

People change because of endless reasons, but most friendships change when both face a conflict, do not have enough in common, or do not live in the same environment. A friendship can’t be built without a sense of trust or mutual interests of doing something together and not seeing someone enough can frequently be problematic. You grow into a different person, and you will constantly do that in your life. You will meet others who will inspire, impact and influence you throughout your life even when they only can be there for a certain amount of time.   

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Whether you’ve known them since sixth grade or last year, your best friends are defined not by how long you’ve been close, but how close you are now. You never know how long you get with the people you love, so make memories, appreciate them, and enjoy every second while it lasts. But don’t be afraid to move on from friendships that are no longer supportive or positive in your life – you deserve the best that best friends can offer.

 

About me: I am a pre-med biology student at UW! I am a writing enthusiast, oldies music lovers and a cat whisperer since ‘98. Find me on Twitter @SafiraVasya Let's chat!