As International Women’s Friendship Month ends, I wanted to discuss a different kind of friendship amongst women: the bathroom bestie. Most people are aware of the concept that girls go to the restroom in groups. Starting in middle school, my male peers would frequently ask the girls why they feel it’s necessary to travel in packs to the bathroom. Now back then, we used to just roll our eyes and ask why they didn’t; however, today I will attempt to explain.
The first reason that we tend to go in groups is to be prepared. After all, you never know what is going to happen. The stall could run out of toilet paper or you could need a feminine hygiene product and not have one. If you have a friend with you, then they can help you and get you what you need.
Another reason is for conversation. If you are in the middle of a conversation with your group of friends, particularly an important one, you don’t want to waste time. Instead, the group will often continue to converse on their way to the bathroom, as well as inside of it. Furthermore, if there is a piece of information that you wish to convey to a select few of your friends, the bathroom is a place to go to prevent others from overhearing your discussion.
It is also important to note that unlike many guys, girls will go to the restroom for a multitude of reasons. We fix our hair, our makeup and handle any wardrobe malfunctions in there as well. Sometimes it is nice to have a little company or a second opinion to help decide if you used the right shade of lipstick.
The bathroom is also a place that girls meet and bond. Whether they’re just complaining about their day while freshening up or complimenting each other, girls that you meet in the bathroom are some of the nicest and most relatable people. My inspiration for this article was from meeting two new girls in the bathroom this past weekend. We started a conversation and realized we had a lot in common. So, to wrap it all up, I’d like to give a shout out to all my bathroom besties! Keep being the positive and kind spirits that you are!