What defines a “friend”? This question is ancient- it has been thought and applied by people for many generations. As for me, I thought I once knew what a “friend” was. When I was much younger than I was today, I never used to think about what a “good friend” was and who my good friends were. I just accepted everybody as my friend and palled around with them. However, I’m beginning to see things differently. Now that I am in 8th grade, I am beginning to realize what defines a “friend”, what defines a “best friend”, and what defines the “stay away from him” type of kid. I thought before that all someone needed to be considered a friend were very general and inconsequential traits, such as being nice, funny, trustworthy, or just being the same …show more content…
I once thought that my friends could get away with just being nice to me; I had no knowledge of how they treated others outside of me and people whom we both know. Nowadays, how someone treats people other than me is just as important as how they treat me. I believe that this is an imperative trait somebody must have for many reasons. Let’s say you have one friend that you like and hang around with a lot, and everybody sees you with this friend. Since he is nice to you, then you think that he would be nice to everybody. However, imagine if this friend is only nice to you; he is very mean towards everybody else. Whenever you walk around with this kid in the halls or wherever you go, people will think that you are a mean person by walking with another mean person. Although this sounds very complicated, it is most certainly true. Since I am older now, what I call a friend has changed. Thus, a friend must not only be kind and benignant towards me, but towards everybody else as …show more content…
If one of my friends does not possess this quality, I simply do not feel very comfortable hanging around with them very much. I find this trait the final decider in if one can be considered a “true friend” for many reasons. When I first started to adjust into my friend group as a youngster, I trusted some people with simple tasks here and there such as, bringing a playing card from home to trade, or doing their part in a group project. Seldom, this person would hold up their end of the bargain. I recall that I would not admonish them or show any signs of anguish, I would just sigh and go to do it myself. Nowadays in 8th grade, things are much, much different. The workload is bigger. Projects and group work is much more important and key to succeeding. If you work with untrustworthy people for your entire 8th grade curricular, it will be a long year. That is why I find this trait to be the final step of achieving the friendships I look for. I strive for good grades with every assignment. If an assignment is individual, I have no problem, because I know that I can get it done to the caliber of which I know I am capable of. If an assignment is group based, I seek people whom I know will assist me in achieving my grade goals. Therefore, being extremely trustworthy cannot be wanting if one wishes to be my