WHY WE NEED FRIENDSHIP

the IMPORTANCE OF FRIENDSHIPS

Sometimes we take close friendships for granted even though they are incredibly important. “Family is not always there, family is not always an option. Those close friendships provide that emotional development and that slight bit of reliance that you have somebody who’s in your corner no matter what,” said Audrey Moore, a senior studying animal science. Humans are social beings and we have a deep need and desire to feel a sense of belonging. Many people desire to be well liked and to have many friends, but a few close and meaningful friendships are often enough to create a sense of acceptance, recognition and understanding. “It’s quality over quantity,” Tierra Knight, a senior studying psychology, said. “If you have a few friends, that is fine as long as those relationships are good and healthy.”

There are many different ways of showing affection and each person may want to receive different types of affection. According to Dr. Gary Chapman, author of the book “The 5 Languages of Love,” these forms of affection include words of affirmation, acts of service, receiving gifts, quality time, and physical touch.

In addition to providing physical companionship, emotional support, and material assistance, friendships can also have importance within the context of religion and faith. Donovan Wright, a senior studying political science cited, a passage from the gospel of John: “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friend.”

While most people recognize the importance of friendships, it is not uncommon for someone to put friendships on the back burner when they are in a romantic relationship.

“The media is always talking about who’s hooking up today, or who’s in a relationship tomorrow and then in a week later they break up,” said Wright. “I think that creates a bit of societal pressure.”

Both friendships and romantic or sexual relationships can be enriching, but close romantic relationships and dating relationships often come with potentially higher risks.

“If you’re giving your all to romantic relationships, those can end at any point in time. But your friends, if you’re a good friend, they are going to be there for a long time,” said Knight.

It is worth noting that if a romantic partner tries to isolate you from your friends, that this is a sign of an unhealthy relationship.

A common mistake is to assume that all relationships are heterosexual or to assume that all men want sex. In any friendship where there could be some degree of sexual or romantic attraction, the essential part is that both parties have open communication and are on the same page.

“Men and women, they give you different perspec-

tives. It’s nice to have those friendships so you can know what the other gender is thinking about or their ideas of things,” said Knight. The stereotype of men in western culture is that they do not express their emotions and do not need close or intimate friendships because they are strong or hard. While close affectionate friendships between women are accepted as the norm, when men have close or intimate CARL HINTZ friendships they may be labeled as homosexual regardless of their actual sexual preference.STAFF WRITER “They fear being labeled gay, if they are not gay,” said Wright. Making new friends can be hard. Perhaps the fastest way to make new friends is to talk to people and to join organizations based on your interests. It’s especially important to be yourself in order to create meaningful and lasting friendships. “People can tell when you are trying to be something you’re not,” said Knight. Once you’ve met someone who you like talking to and being around it’s a matter of effort. “A lot of people focus on being a good romantic partner, but be a good friend too,” said Knight. Friendships take time, honesty and effort. No relationship will last forever, but some friendships may last for many years. “Close friends are the ones who truly and deeply know you and can help you erase that feeling of misunderstanding,” said Moore.