By Dina Badawi
In high school, most of us were friends with people because we saw them five times a day. In college, it’s a little bit different. You end up making a variety of friends, some of whom are friends for this period, and others, for a much longer time. The following is a guide to the kinds of friendships you’ll make post-secondary:
- The stranger
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The first type of friend is what I like to call, the stranger. You don’t really know this person, but you just seem to have a connection, and they hold a special place in your heart. Maybe you met this person during orientation, or you had one assignment with them, or they sat near you in a class. You don’t talk to them very often, and if you do, it’s usually a quick exchange.
- The checklist
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Without the two of you bouncing off reminders off each other, you’d both be lost. Keeping each other on track with assignments, readings, and important dates are key to your friendship. If one of you falls behind, you know the other’s got your back, and will help you back up.
- The child
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Your maternal instincts kick in when you find this type of friend. Perhaps it is their fun, childlike personality – or maybe it’s something completely different. This is the friend you will always want to check up on: check if they’ve eaten, if they’ve slept, and if they’ve finished their work. You always want to help them succeed and make sure they are doing well.
- The Mom
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Where there’s a child, there’s also the mom friend. This friend is one you can trust to take notes for you when you’ve got the sniffles or send a message for you when you’re late or can’t make it to class. They will cover up for you when they can, and they will do their best to make sure you are doing well. They will accompany you to appointments, or even just to talk to your professor. Best of all, you can count on them to have your back.
- The neighbour
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The neighbour is the friend who is not in your program and you just never happen to see. Maybe they are a family friend, a cousin, or a high school friend. You two just never seem to see each other during the semesters. However, when you two do meet up, it is like no time has passed.
- The clasher
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If you have a friend that you just can’t seem to work with, then you’ve got a clasher. Maybe it is that you have different work ethics, or maybe you just work at different speeds. Perhaps one of you is a procrastinator and the other likes to get things done right away. Either way, this creates tension between you and puts pressure on your friendship. Over time you learn that you two are great as friends but never as business partners.
- The school friend
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The school friend is one that you are relatively close to during the year, but once the semester is over, you don’t talk. It is nothing personal, you just both go on with your lives and connect again back in school. Things are usually pretty easy-going between the two of you, and no drama tends to ensue.
- The competitor
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The competitor is someone who can quickly turn into a frenemy, or someone that you have a love-hate relationship with. They are always two steps ahead of you. While you are trying to keep up with work, you may see them zooming past you. While you always want to cheer them on, you feel a little bad for yourself and maybe a little envious too. Just when you think you did a great job on something, you see that they’ve done better. Watch out though, and try to keep these comparisons to your friends at a minimum, or you may end up down a deep rabbit hole.
- The mutual
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The mutual is also known as the friend of a friend. Maybe you met this person at a party, or perhaps they were just stopping somewhere while you were there, but you instantly felt a connection. Sometimes these people turn into lifelong friends because you both connected unintentionally.
- The best friend
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Last not but not least, you have the best friend. Maybe you made this friend during university, or maybe it was an older friendship that only got stronger with time. You’ll realize that no distance, jealousy, or time difference can break up your bond. This friend may even be in a different program, at a different university, or even in a different country. Whatever it is, going through the stress of post-secondary makes you realize just how much you appreciate them.
Your years in university or college are supposed to be memorable ones, so remember to make the best of them and let go of all the toxic people in your life, because there are so many different people you will meet along the way.