Mentally and emotionally-healthy people always have a solid support system and strong relationships with people they care about in their life. Some call it a "tribe," others may call it their"loved ones" or their "people," but almost everyone has some semblance of an inner-circle of fellow humans they love, respect, and value spending time with. The best types of friendships are the ones which are both reciprocal and adaptable. It has been said that we are the average of the people we spend the most time with. With any luck, those people support you, challenge you when needed, make you laugh, and make consistent effort to build long-lasting memories with you (and your family).
For the most fulfilled social life, these are the 6 types of friends I believe every adult should have:
#1 - Childhood/Hometown Friends
These are the people that keep you grounded and remind you "where you came from." Inside jokes galore, nostalgic storytelling that makes you belly laugh... these friends will always bring the warm and fuzzies that come with reminiscing about a simpler time.
#2 - College Friends
For those where this is applicable, college friends always hold a special place in your heart. You often all came from different places and backgrounds, but ended up united by your educational interests, class struggles, and pre-career triumphs. They're part of that sacred place between child and adulthood, where you're old enough to know better, but young enough to do it anyway. All of the growing pains and wild fun times have been celebrated with these people, and if you've been fortunate enough to keep in touch during the next phase of your life, these friends are forever.
#3 - Work Friends
It's almost like the adult extension of high school; your work friends are your community, the people you get to see every day in the little subculture ecosystem that is your place of business. Whether you climbed the career ladder together, shared hundreds of lunches and happy hours, commiserated over your terrible boss, or acted as each other's living diaries of day-to-day life outside of the home, work friends are awesome.
#4 - Special Interest Friends
As you get older and more financially stable, it becomes increasingly important to make time to do the things that are important to you. Whether that means joining a speciality gym, class, club, or team, meeting people that love doing what you love doing is so cool. These are often the easiest friends to make, because you already have something substantial in common, or you both wouldn't have come across each other in the first place! Some of the most important people in my adult life came from pursuing my interests outside of work. It's an amazing way to make new friends as an adult!
#5 - Adult Friends-of-Friends
These relationships are often extremely organic and easy. Typically, the people you get along with have other friends you'd get along with as well! It's always fun to meet new people at birthday parties or other important celebrations. Mutual friends tend to be close in age, local, and with plenty of things in common. So many of my best friendships have come through friends-of-friends, and I'm so grateful for those situations and the opportunity to get to know new people in a comfortable environment.
#6 - Seasonal Friends
These are the types of friends that show up during different seasons of your life. Some may last forever, others were never meant to, but they sure matter when they're here. Seasonal friends can be neighbors while you're living in a certain place, fellow parents you connect with through participation in your kid's activities, or even likeminded people you may meet in the old folk's home one day!
It's important to pick up new social circles during each phase of your life as you grow and change, and always be open to new friendships. And if this list has prompted you to think about the special people that have checked off all these boxes in your own life, well you may just be one of the lucky ones. :)