It’s kind of a mystery – why we meet certain people at certain times – we come together by chance. Then how our relationships unfold is shaped by our actions.
And while a few friendships prove to be unbreakable and can last a lifetime, others seem to break off easily or fall behind. That’s because every friendship in your life holds its own unique significance, and it’s perfectly normal to be closer with some friends than with others.
Our values also tend to change as we get older and grow as people.
Therefore, our own specific meaning and expectations of friendship can change over time. With that in mind, here are some different types of friends you’ll have throughout your life.
1. The Childhood Friend.
The friends you made when you were a child usually end up going in different directions with their lives, but no matter how far your paths separate, you remain connected.
Catching up feels as natural as breathing – like barely any time has passed. And you always look forward to hearing all that they’ve been up to.
This type of friendship has a special quality about it – and the feeling of catching up every once in a while can be really refreshing.
2. The Workplace Bud.
You aren’t required to be friends with everyone you work with, but having people to talk to at your workplace can be beneficial. Having someone to talk to about the daily troubles and drama at work can really take a load off your shoulders. And, it’s nice being able to help each other out with projects when the need arises.
Work friendships can even turn into lifelong ones. But even if this doesn’t happen, being able to let off steam with someone else who knows what you’re going through can be a big help.
3. The Cheerleader.
Whenever you’re feeling down, or just discouraged about your life in general, this friend is the one you go to. This is also the friend you can confide in about a positive event in your life and expect joy instead of jealousy. The cheerleader friend tends to be a grounding force in your life.
You might find that you even fill this role for them as well.
When you feel like you’re failing and start being too harsh on yourself, they’ll be the person to remind you of all your positive qualities and accomplishments; and when you finally meet your goals, they’ll also be the first to congratulate you and remind you of how hard you fought for your success.
4. The Fun Night Out Friend.
This is the friend you know you can count on if you want to have a good time – they’re always available for you to call up and let loose with!
They usually know what band is in town, and when and how to score tickets. They’ll party just as hard as you and be ready to do it again the next night.
Well-connected and a social butterfly, they’re always down for a night out, especially when you come along!
5. The Inspiration Friend.
The Inspiration friend never seems to be confined by the rules of society.
They will always try and make a difference in the world, despite everyone telling them that they can’t. This friend will also always try to motivate you to live up to your potential.
They are the one helping to set up events for worthy causes and speak up for them, encouraging others to see the world from another perspective, and to do something about its injustices.
6. The Passive Aggressive.
This is a prime example of a negative friendship – people like these will gaslight you to make you feel bad every decision you make, or don’t make.
They judge you at every turn and make sure you know it, so you never feel completely comfortable when you’re with them. And if you need to cancel a plan with them – for whatever reason – they’ll be sure to shoot back a sugar-coated response implying their disappointment.
7. The Platonic Life Partner.
This friend is the person who might feel like your soulmate – platonically of course.
You feel that you can talk to them about anything, or not talk at all. But no matter what you do, spending time with each other will never become awkward or boring.
This is the person you’d put on your emergency contact list or call if you ever needed someone to bail you out of a tight situation – they are the person you can count on. A friend like this is hard to come by, and you’re fortunate if you have one!
8. The Social Media Expert.
When you need an update on the news or whatever celebrity drama is biggest at the moment, this friend is the person to go to. They’re tech-savvy and always up-to-date on the latest.
Their social media sway is so powerful that just being around them adds to your own! They’re probably your most well-connected friend, both online and offline.
And this can be extremely beneficial, since all of their networking and knowledge can help you career-wise in many ways. This friend is usually very generous with all of their skills as well, just being around them makes you feel more in the know. But make sure not to take advantage of them – their technological prowess can be used negatively, as well.
9. The Intellectual Friend.
The intellectual friend encourages you to think more about the world around you.
They often come up with questions designed to make you think about all aspects of life and what they really mean, as well as what part you play in balancing everything out.
They motivate you to study, read, and ponder the wonders of the world.
10. The Drunk Friend.
This friend is a negative spin-off of the Fun Night Out friend. Partying is their thing, but they take it to whole other level. They always seem to be down for one drink, then another, and another, until they can’t even think or walk straight.
You’ll probably be dragging this one home after a night of drinking on numerous occasions, which might seem entertaining the first few times, but after a while, being a full-blown babysitter won’t be so appealing.
11. The Storyteller.
The Storyteller always seems to have a ‘tall tale’ ready for a long car ride or around the dinner table. They never fail to turn mundane experiences into a fun time. Making people laugh is the best part of their day, and they love being in the spotlight.
They will always find new ways to entertain – telling new stories or twisting up old ones – just to get a laugh or two, which makes being around them a lot of fun.
12. The Dormant Friend.
Every once in a while, friends you lost contact with can spring back up into your life, maybe even bringing you closer than you were before.
The rekindled friendship speaks to the mystery of friendship in general- especially if you’ve forgotten why you drifted apart in the first place. But just give it a bit of time; you will be reminded.
13. The Phony Friend.
Everyone can probably remember their first fake friend. This is someone you thought you were close with – who turned out to be a total phony. They seem to be around in good times, but are nowhere to be found during hard times.
Making the mistake of trusting them and letting them into your life might make you feel like an idiot – but people like that are ‘always trying to fool you.’
14. The Far Away Friend.
You may be in different time zones, but you video chat or text when you can, keeping in touch as much as possible. Obviously, any kind of long-distance relationship is harder to keep up with than a regular one, but it’s worth it in the end. No matter the distance, you’re both key parts of each other’s lives.
Plus, planning trips to visit each other is always exciting! Being on different parts of the globe can’t separate you two for too long.
15. The Dynamic Duo.
This type of friendship is different from the others, since it’s not one person, but two – they’re a pair. Basically, joined at the hip – this couple is incredibly supportive and always fun to chill with.
Hanging with them and seeing they’re incredible relationship can make you a bit jealous at times, but two heads are better than one, so you get double the fun!
16. The Sexually Tense Friend.
This friendship might be one of the most complicated – a slow burn from friendship to seeing them as something more; which can go in different directions.
The worst possibility is that the feelings aren’t mutual, or you could try a relationship and find that things aren’t going to work out. There’s also a tiny chance that it turns into the perfect love story. Either way, don’t fret over it too much – developing an attraction to a friend is much more common than you might think.
17. The Elusive Friend.
This is another difficult friendship type – the Elusive friend requires a chase.
Spending time with this person is enjoyable – likely for both of you, but trying to get a hold of them in any way is almost an impossible task.
It seems like you are always chasing them but they just keep slipping away.
It’s very difficult trying to separate the good friendships from the ones that will only wear you down – and you won’t always succeed. You will probably make some bad choices in your life when it comes to your friendships. But, whether or not your friendships affect you negatively or positively, each one teaches you something different about friendship – and maybe even something about yourself.
Let us know what you think. Also, which type of friend are you?
