Good friendships are important for your well-being. Invest time in your friends.
There seems to be a continually developing trend of anti-social behavior in Generation Y. I often hear people saying how they can’t trust people and believe that everyone out there is a competition. While we seem to believe that we live in a cut-throat environment, it’s important to realize that there are some people out there, other than family, that can be your well-wishers. These are your real friends.
A supportive group of friends is essentials to help shape the person you’re becoming. From the good times to the bad times, from the drunken nights to never-ending working days, they’re there to endure through everything with you. Through disagreements, you will learn to build a strong bond. You will learn to work through misunderstandings. You will learn the hardest lesson, what it’s like to put someone else before you.
Going out to meet new people is healthy and here’s why
- It helps you learn more about yourself.
Meeting more people and doing new things with them helps you understand your preferences. Maybe you’ll find your new pet peeve or your new favorite hobby. My best friend is the reason I realized that I’d much rather not study genetics. - You gain different insights
When you meet new people, you learn about their perspectives towards the world. As a political science major, my best friend is always having questions about the society and the existence of mankind. When she questions things such as principles of justice within society after her lectures, I always find a new way to look at the world. Gaining insights into different opinions and perspectives can greatly broaden your outlook on the world. - It’s a chance to expand your network
It always helps to know people. You know how it goes. As much as I don’t believe that you should meet people solely because you might be able to use them one day, it’s important to build a good professional network as you enter the workforce.
Conversely, it’s also important to keep your friend circle small and here’s why:
- Friendships are an investment
Every friendship, or relationship, takes time and effort. You must give it time to flourish. You may sometimes need to delay your commitments to be there for a friend in need. You need to spend time getting to know each other and making memories. When you try to do that with too many people, you might get off-track in setting your own goals. Remember that you’re the most important to yourself. - Not everyone can be trusted
You can’t trust every person to wish the best for you. But you also cannot be a loner. We all need people by our side. The trick is to keep your circle of close friends exclusive. Let people in when you know they can be trusted. When you find friends that you can trust and will stick by you through thick and thin, your life will brighten up. I can trust my best friends to be there through the worst moments of my life and that feeling will give you more confidence when you want to try things that may seem a little risky.
It’s important to find the balance within your life. Find a group of friends that you can be close to and continue to meet new people and expand your network. Remember to stay focused on yourself and your own goals while doing this. I assure you that when you perfect maintaining this balance, getting through every day of your life will become that much easier. I know that I can’t imagine getting through a day without knowing my friends are around me and I’m thankful to have found those people. I hope you all continue to find the balance and perfect maintaining that balance!