He’s my friend, she’s my friend, they’re my friends, everyone is my friend – but we all know that some friends are closer than others. We may not want to admit it, but our brains subconsciously “categorize” our friends so that we know who to share good news with or who to avoid when we’re having a bad day. It’s likely that these different categories or levels of friendship are based on how much you trust your friend, or even something as simple as how much you enjoy spending your time with them.
It may seem pretty difficult to try to put into words what kind of friend someone is to you, but it really does make you think about who the important people in your life are. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a measure of how great of a person that friend is, but rather, what their friendship means to you personally.
These are the levels I came up with:
5. Hi
Those you would nod or wave to as they pass by. You don’t talk with them often, but based on your previous conversations, you do not necessarily have any shared interests with them that would keep an interesting or extended conversation going.
4. How Are You Doing?
Those you would stop to engage in a polite conversation to hear the latest updates on their lives. It’s nice talking to them, and a short conversation once in a while is all you need to keep that friendship going.
3. Let’s Hang Out
Those you would have fun with doing activities or in a larger group setting. These are the friends you would find yourself with playing board games, going on hikes, or other exciting adventures. Whether it is online or in-person, having a larger group adds more laughable conversations!
2. Let’s Eat
Those you enjoy being around and love sharing a good meal with (food is always better with your favorite people). Your conversations are usually focused on a specific part of your life that you feel more comfortable sharing, allowing for a deeper and more meaningful connection.
1. Let’s Travel
Those you love spending all your time with. The conversations are endless, but even the silent breaks are embraced. You wouldn’t mind retelling your life story to them over and over again and can’t wait for the next inside joke that sets off uncontrollable laughter.
What are your different levels of friendship?