You have your best friends, casual pals, group friends, class acquaintances — but somewhere between the different levels of your own social pyramid are fake friends. Malibu, and especially Pepperdine, is a rather friendly environment with everyone walking around smiling and giddy from the buzz off their Pumpkin Spice Lattes. Sometimes this sunshine-filled atmosphere can cloud a relationship, making it seem like you are better friends than you actually are.
Fake friends are not as hard to spot as you may think. Real friends are those who will go out of their way to do something nice for you, no matter how inconvenient it may be for them. Fake friends are conveniently unavailable when you ask for a favor. Real friends will sometimes buy you a treat or drink every now and then because they know it’s your favorite. Fake friends deny your Venmo charges in the hopes you will not bring it up to them later.
Once you spot a fake friend, the question is what to do with them. While I would not cut everyone from your life that may fall under this category, I am suggesting that you invest yourself, your energy, and your time in the friendships that more meaningful. Throughout my years of college, I have been lucky to find the people who encourage and support me in whatever I do. In return, I try to reciprocate that in trying to be the best friend I can be. It is simply quality over quantity.
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