As college students, we know the friends we make here are more than just the people we order pizza with, or the people who buy us bottles of champagne on our birthdays. They are our support system, our favorite people to make bad decisions with, and they ultimately become our dysfunctional family in this giant school of more than 50,000 students. There is no way we could have gotten through all of those hours of studying for calculus or all of those tears over that guy who “wasn’t even in a top-tier fraternity” without these special people in our lives who lift us up in their own way. These are the four types of friends we all have and need to survive these four crazy years stuck in the ‘ville.
1. The MotherShe sews the holes in the leggings that we have worn one too many times. She lets you sleep in her room when you don’t want to be alone. She doesn’t mind that you stay over even when she has to go to her full-time job. She may want to go out and party with you most of the time, but she is always down to split a bottle of wine and watch Netflix in your pajamas. Though she may not be a day rager, she will get as feisty as she needs to with anyone who messes with you, just like your own respective mothers would stand up for you. We all have that one friend who is 19 going on 40, and we love her for the comfort she provides that serves as a nice change from the usual chaos of college kids.
2. The Party AnimalIt seems like they are personal friends with every bouncer in Midtown. They are always the first person to text you an address of a pre-game because they are just that facey and seem to know everyone on campus. Whether you’re going through a recent breakup, or you’re feeling down about that exam you just took (and maybe failed), this is the person who’ll always have something crazy planned to do with you. She’s the one who cracks open your wild side (and your bottle of Jack). They are your go-to partner on the dance floor, and every night spent with them is always the most unforgettable time that you’ll never actually remember.
3. The Low-Key ComedianThey don’t tell jokes to make you laugh — they just have a way with words that never fails to make you crack up and make your ugliest laughing face possible. They always have a sarcastic comment to say about something and can turn even the most serious situation into a reason to smile. If you’re lucky, they sit with you in one of your boring two-hour lecture classes. Rather than taking notes, you’re listening to her hilarious commentary of the professor who looks like he’s old enough to have helped found UF or the kid in front of you who looks like a Vineyard Vines store threw up on him. Whether they are making fun of an innocent victim in class or making fun of you, it’s hard to take life too seriously around them; after all, laughter is the best medicine.
4. The Long Distance FriendShe’s never met any of your college friends, but she could name every one of them and tell you their pet peeves, past hookups and their childhood dog’s name. She’s the person who proves long distance relationships can work, as long as you take the time to send them lots of ugly Snapchat selfies and keep them updated on every important thing in your life. They are the person you call when walking through campus to gossip about how your semi-formal date saw you in Library West and didn’t even wave “hi.” She’s the person who has to ship you a gift for your birthday, but she’s there with you in spirit as you hit up the clubs wearing a tiara. No matter how petty the issue, she’s the one you can vent to about anyone because, let’s face it, they don’t go to school here so their lips are permanently sealed with the glue of distance. They can’t physically hold your back, but they always have it.
Friends are what make college bearable. Make sure to keep them around, cherish their company and enjoy every moment you have with them because they will definitely become your home away from home during all of the craziness of college.
Photo credit: Huffingtonpost.com