Art by Sarah Rietz
Transparency Item: The Perspectives section of the Graphic is comprised of articles based on opinion. This is the opinion and perspective of the writer.
Having one best friend allows you to have someone you can trust, rely on and confide in. However, limiting yourself to only one best friend can be detrimental to your personal growth and social development.
In all honesty, the term “best friend” was always silly to me, because a person almost never has one their entire life. Regardless, I understand the meaning for the definition of best friends.
Having only one best friend can create a dependency on that person. Relying solely on one person for emotional support can lead to an unhealthy and imbalanced dynamic. Your best friend might not always be available, or they might have their own problems to deal with, leaving you feeling alone and unsupported.
Having a diverse group of friends can provide you with a well-rounded support system, where you can reach out to different people for different types of help and advice. Forming deep, meaningful relationships is essential to human development, but so is becoming open to new experiences and growing deeper with many individuals.
Having only one best friend can limit your exposure to different perspectives, experiences and interests. Your best friend might share similar interests and opinions as you, which can be great for bonding and enjoying activities together.
However, being exposed to a variety of perspectives and experiences can broaden your horizons and help you grow as an individual.
Having a diverse group of friends with varying backgrounds and interests can introduce you to new ideas and help you learn more about yourself. Many best friends allow a person to adapt to different situations and people’s personalities, which can only create internal and emotional growth.
One best friend can limit your social opportunities. A wide network of friends can lead to more social invitations, events and opportunities. You might meet new people through your friends or be introduced to new activities and hobbies.
Being part of a diverse social circle can also increase your chances of meeting potential romantic partners, which might not be possible if you limit yourself to only one best friend.
In my friendships throughout my childhood, I was exposed to many different friends with different backgrounds. I never considered myself to have one friend that was “no one else’s.” I was taught to share with my friends.
The depth of my friendships are deep and true, and I have made connections just as complex as those with only one best friend. My best friends are vastly different in the purpose they hold in my life.
I have friends for special occasions and activities. I have friends whose quality time is shared over meals, others over meditating, some find connection when we are traveling, going out to clubs, shopping and some friends I can just relax on the couch, eat snacks, talk and watch a movie with.
Some of my best friends have never even met each other and I find beauty in that I can share moments and memories with them that are unique to only them.
I have friends around the world who I may only see once a year, if that. Our relationships are just as meaningful as my more day-to-day in-person friendships. It doesn’t matter how many friendships a person has formed — what matters is the depth and quality of those relationships. Do not limit yourself to just one friend in a world so full of people just waiting to meet you.
Many may often wonder what it would be like to get everyone they consider close to me to meet in a room and introduce all of them. This feeling fuels my thought that we need to let people grow individually. It is not totally necessary to make all your relationships a big melting pot, and it is not healthy to limit yourself to just one strong friendship.
While having a best friend is important, limiting yourself to only one can be detrimental to your personal growth and social development.
Therefore, it’s important to maintain a balance between your close friendships and your wider social circle. Having a diverse group of friends can provide you with a well-rounded support system, expose you to new perspectives and experiences and increase your social opportunities.
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Contact Victoria La Ferla via email: Victoria.laferla@pepperdine.edu or by Instagram @vlf_insider
