Having a best friend is one of the most crucial parts of high school. School is draining and difficult, but having one person who you can fall back on when you need it makes the load a ton lighter.

A common misconception about best friends is “the more the merrier” which simply isn’t true. The cold truth about friend groups is that there’s a lot of drama, gossip, jealousy and people being left out. 

Having many friends is a good thing, but you don’t need to have a large friend group and you don’t need to be best friends with everyone. However, having one person you can call your best friend makes all the difference.

A best friend is someone who you might not have known your whole life, but someone who you feel the most unapologetically yourself around. Someone who is honest but kind, makes you feel good about yourself rather than insecure is someone you should call your best friend.

Being a teenager already creates a variety of insecurities through standards in society, school, social media and who your parents might be pushing you to become. Having someone who will make you feel pretty in that dress or say your new haircut looks good really makes all the difference at the end of the day.

Having a friend who will show off your accomplishments, defend your name and be there when you need them is one of the hardest relationships you can find, which is why those friendships are so valuable.

Adults often say that the people you know in high school won’t stick around, which is okay. Everyone comes into your life for a reason, and there is always a meaning behind that. People in our lives come and go, all teaching us something new. 

My best friend is someone I can call my sister, and whether we continue our friendship after school, I know I’ll always appreciate all that she has taught me.