The Friend Type

By Gena Sysavath
Web Content Contributor

I grew up in an area where I was able to make and keep a close-knit group of friends. However, as I got older and gained more life experience; I made new friends that are different. I began to figure out my role in each friendship I created and had. I started to join different types of friend groups–and never really strayed into one too long. I was consistently on a back-and-forth between groups.

Sometimes, when I had friends from different groups meet, they would not get along with each other for some reason or another. So, I would hang out with certain friends separately to avoid conflict. Or, if they did get along, the opposite friend collision could be one of the best situations ever, because you will get unexpected fun and laughs from that situation.

Nevertheless, in each friend group I was or am involved in, I always had some type of role. I am either the bizarre friend, the mom friend, the advisor or the stupid one, anything really. The thing that gets me though–I do not actually act any different from friend to friend.

I am pretty much an open book to any friend I make because I think it’s just easier to make friends that want to stay that way. But because every single person has a different impression on who I am, I get dubbed a different superlative and it’s pretty entertaining considering that I don’t perceive myself as anything but a friend, I mean maybe best friend, but you got to earn that.

Let me slip in some examples:

I got called the “bro” friend by several of my guy friends, only because my opinion sometimes differs from other girls. I also like both females and males, so I tend to try to see every side of things I can, and I guess that makes some my opinions abnormal for girls.

For example, I do not understand why some girls in a relationship will check their crush’s snap score on snapchat. I personally think it is weird, but apparently, it is not. Or I will say something really blunt (and most likely inappropriate) and get the bug-eye look, because my guy friends “never heard it from a girl” before. I roll my eyes until I reach the neverlands by the stuff I get told is not normal for a specific gender. As Elsa (from Frozen) once said, “let it go,” we’re in the 21^st century, not here for those stereotypes, pshhh.

I get called the “crazy” friend a lot from friends I have known since primary school. My first core group of friends are no longer friends with each other, but I am. I still keep in touch with everyone that we associated with in this group mostly because I liked them. So, why ditch old friends if it was possible to keep them?

However, each of them are either the studious or homebody type, so when I did something just slightly sketchy or idiotic, I get told that I am both stupid and wild. Maybe I did sneak out of school to go to Six Flags and maybe I did get a car ride to a haunted house from a stranger, but it’s not that crazy of an experience, people have done worst.

Another type of friend I get called quite a bit is the “lazy” one, which should only apply when I am tired.

Sadly, I am tired most of the time, especially now of days. There’s no reason to be, I just like my bed way too much. We are in a deep committed relationship with each other. The bed stays comfy and I lay on it.

It is my very healthy relationship with my sleeping schedule that I just ask my several of my friends to come over and talk to me in my room as I’m stretched out and dressed like a bum. Sometimes, I just do not want to leave the apartment, the outside world is too dangerous and bright for me.

I am also the friend who would bravely go turn on the light after we do a séance. I am the friend who is too afraid to go on a rollercoaster, because the height is very unhinging, but I’m still willing to go skydiving if asked. I can listen and be your therapist if you want. I am the type of friend that will be there if you want me to. I can be a really crappy friend too, sometimes, I will be a real jerk.

All my friends will perceive me to be a certain type of friend to them. Their perception of me is key, because it will be the type of friend they needed me to be when they met me.

I am just happy to have them in my life because I know that they will do the same for me, no matter what group-type they were in. It’s nice to know that there is someone in your corner, because when you feel like everything is against you, there will have to be someone there, even if you don’t see it.

Featured image by Gena Sysavath.