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

Having ONE Best Friend is Not Ideal

My teen years were constructed around this idea that you should have only ONE best friend. While it was nice having that reassurance that there was at least one person I could go to for anything, it was very toxic.

And it stopped me from making some amazing relationships with other people.

The idea of having one best friend creates this pressure on the other person. Like it’s a job, or something. It also creates pressure on you, to maintain an almost perfect  relationship with that person. 

It’s like being in an actual relationship. I used to feel obligated to tell anyone new that I had a best friend to let them know that I was not on “the best friend market.” 

 

Best Friends in the Media

I feel that this was really emphasized in TV shows and movies where the main character would have that one best friend. They always emphasized how important it was to have that one best friend.

But what if you wanted more than one? For me, I don’t have one true best friend. I have many of them. Though, my sister Lila can totally fill that position if we were to look at it from a technical lens. But, I feel like it’s healthy to have multiple people in your life whom you feel close to.

 

Why it’s Important to Have More Than One Person in Your Life

Sometimes you might not feel comfortable talking to certain people about certain things. Sometimes you feel more comfortable talking to specifically one person about that thing more than others.

How else are you going to get different perspectives? We learn through the people around us, and if we shelter ourselves to just one person, then how are we going to expand? I’m not saying that it’s a bad thing to have a special someone but realistically… you gotta have a variety, my dude.

 

So, I think it’s okay to meet new people and expand on your relationships. And maybe even expand on your pre-existing relationships.

xx Kenzie

Mackenzie (Kenzie) is the Campus Correspondent for Her Campus @ RIT. She is studying English and Creative Writing, with a minor in Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. Kenzie's goal is to become an editor in the Young Adult publishing scene and to provide more accurate representation of intersecting identities.