The Best Qualities in a Friend

“A good friend is hard to find,” said millions of people, in millions of different ways. And it’s true! Making friends is hard. There’s a big difference between your best friends and all the random people in your Facebook and Instagram feeds. You may see someone everyday and enjoy their company, but if they’re lacking some of the characteristics of a good friend that are most important to you, it's hard to move past that surface friendship stage (the stage where you'd rather finish War and Peace than spend time with them). So what are the qualities of a best friend you look for when you meet new people?

A real friend is someone with whom you should be able to share your thoughts, your jokes, your opinions, and your feelings, without feeling threatened. Whether you’ve known this person your whole life, or just a couple of years, you trust them, you share similar values, and to top it all off, you have tons of fun together. It’s usually pretty easy to spot the special connection that happens between two people who really get each other. Together, you hash out the complexities of life, you get into trouble, and you'll defend your friend even if you don't technically agree with them.

Your best friends should be encouraging, but they should also be able to tell you when you’re acting like an idiot. Your best friends shouldn’t hold you back, they should help you move forward while giving you their honest opinions. You should be able to laugh with them, cry with them, and they should be the type of people you can call from the bathroom on a bad date, or when you’re broken down on the side of the freeway waiting for AAA.

So what should you look for when you make new friends? How does one meet friends worthy of seeing you in your underwear or watching Mighty Ducks marathons together on Netflix? We’ve compiled a list of our top qualities in a best friend and we want your opinion. Rank the qualities you find most important, and add any qualities you think we’ve missed!