Friends Essay, Research Paper

FRIENDS

To have friends is an essential part of life and comfort. When you were little you had friends in school that you could play with. You shared your toys with them and laughed with them while the teacher was speaking. When you were in middle school, you probably adopted a clique of friends to see after class and hang out with after school. Later on in high school, you most likely narrowed your choice to one companion that you could share your troubles with. These are the people you chose to spend that time of your life with, and these are the people that cultivated who you are. Everyone has certain expectations of what a valuable friend should be like. What I think makes a friend is loyalty, personality and availability.

A good friend has to be loyal and trust worthy. You can’t live your life afraid that the person that you trust the most is going to betray you. I think in the beginning of each friendship you should test your friend’s loyalty. You should never tell them too much of yourself too soon and have high expectations. When they have proven to you that they have a good heart and don’t mean malice to you, then you should hold them close to your heart. It is a strong feeling of sanctuary to know that the person you call at night to spill your life to will never tell a soul. It is not good to keep things inside all the time and sometimes you need someone to share your feelings with. At other times you want someone to listen to your daily life and go through the same trials of events that happen to you; however, your friends can give you an objective point of view.

Excellent friends are the ones who are enjoyable to be with. They have to have an amazing personality and posses other interesting traits. Their way of viewing life will be much like my view of things. Their beliefs and values will coincide with mine, but they should also be unique with their own special faults and traits. I also don’t want to be around someone who is boring and has a monotonous attitude about things. My friends and I will go out and sky dive, bungee jump and travel around the world. A worthwhile friend will help you find yourself and let you do things on your own when needed. For a friendship to grow, all parties involved must put effort to make the friendship work. They also need to be able to deal with changes within people and adapt to new traits. Only certain people with a strong character can fit my ideal.

Finally, a true friend is one who is always available for help. In the middle of a crisis, you need to pick up the phone and hear a reassuring voice telling you that everything is going to be fine. It can make you feel lonely and full of despair when you have to deal with everything by yourself. A priceless friend will listen to your every word and soothe away every tear. Such a person will not complain when you are talking too much; a true friend knows you need to express yourself. Also, they will drop everything to come see you or talk to you when you really need their presence, making you a very important priority. There have been a couple of times in my life that I have come to notice who my real friends are. When I was going through rough times with my parents, the people who I thought where my friends never took the time to talk to me. The only person that counseled me and helped me was a person I didn’t know very well. That day I realized the importance of attention from someone. Ever since that day that I made sure I kept that person near. Quality time with your friend is very important also. I find it important that I spend time with them on the weekends so we can bond together. Sharing the same experiences with people brings you closer to them. Going to the mall together can be a delightful experience that you can share. When you don’t spend time with your friend, both of your lives will seem distant and there won’t be anything to talk about either.

Who influences you when you are younger affects who you are in the future. When you are young, your mind is very fragile and is easily brainwashed by external factors. If you pick friend that has bad values you are most likely to attain the same values. There is an old saying that goes “You are who you hang out with”. It is a very simple saying but there is a whole lot of truth in it. A really good friend is one who will give you good morals and has a good conscience. The person will help you gain strength and help you stand up for yourself. You want somebody that stands up straight by your side and is proud to have someone like you by theirs. An ideal friend will help you grow as a person and build your character.

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This essay is about what qualities real friends should have.