In a way, our friends play a big role in shaping who we are. Lately, I’ve been reflecting on the past 10 years of my life and thinking about what has influenced me the most. If I could go back in time and give myself advice, what would it be? One thing I’ve realized is the importance of having amazing women as friends who support me.
If you’re like me, you’ve probably spent some time taking stock of the kinds of friends in your life, you might notice some patterns emerging. It’s likely that you’ve had or currently have various kinds of female friends, which can be both a blessing and a frequent doze of headaches as well. Friendships require effort, and sometimes dealing with certain types of friends can be tough.
As we think about the women in our lives, I’ve come up with 20 types of friends that every woman has. In this list, you might find some solid pillars of friendship that each of your friends fits into.
01
The Independent Queen
She’s driven, inspiring, and has her life together but makes your mess of a life feel like it’s a glorious work in progress. She’s the one you turn to when you need advice on how to find a good tax person. She might not be much older than you, maybe even younger, but she’s really emotionally mature, and you often see her as your guide or mentor, sometimes. She’s self-assured, knows her value, and pretty much everything about her is everything you aspire to be.
02
The Fun time Friend
Or you may even consider her your Ride or Die. This is the friend in your life through thick and thin—She knows how to have a good time, she can out drink you, crack you up, and has a million of exciting events that you can be her plus one. She’s especially there post break up to lift your spirits and will make sure that you have an ample thirst trap to make your ex regret their decision. With her, it feels like it’s you two against the world, and you can’t help but feel sorry for the world because you two make a formidable team.
03
Your College Pal
Remember that friend from college who was once your closest buddy but now you’ve drifted apart? When you do get together, it feels like old times. You reminisce about the good old days over some drinks. You have a blast and can’t help but question why you don’t hang out more often.
04
The Party Animal
She’s the friend you’re conflicted about. Sometimes you’re eager to join her for a fun night, but other times you worry about her well-being. While she brings excitement, too much of her partying can be overwhelming.
05
The Polar Opposite Friend
They say opposite attracts the opposite, how much do you believe this? For some of us, one of our closest friendships are with people who challenge our ideas and love a good, healthy debate. Pizza or burgers? We’ll debate. Marvel or DC comics/movies? We’ll debate. Classical music or pop music? it’s on. Dogs or cats? You bet we’ll debate.
06
The Unrealiable Friend
Perhaps you currently have or might have encountered this kind of friend before. She just can’t seem to stick to plans.you can never rely on them. It’s frustrating, but that’s just how it is. You can never rely on them. It’s frustrating, but that’s just how it is.
07
The Gossip Queen
We all have that one friend who can’t resist gossip. When you tell her to keep it quiet, she ends up sharing it with everyone. She enjoys talking about others, sometimes saying not-so-nice things. While it might seem harmless, (and she’s certainly a good friend) sometimes, you can’t help but wonder what she says about you behind your back.
08
The Compassionate One
This type of friend feels like your therapist and best friend rolled into one. They’re so good at listening and comforting you that you like they should be billing you for sessions. They patiently listen when you rant, offer sympathy, and help calm you down.
Or maybe she’s mostly introverted so you want to hang out one on one, bonding over coffee, and having a good conversation. You can talk about anything from books to deep personal issues you’ve discussed in therapy. No matter what, you hang out hours on end together feeling connected, understood, and eager to chat again. This friend is incredibly compassionate, empathetic, and thoughtful. And in return you appreciate their objective viewpoint on various matters.
09
Your Lifestyle Companion
You know that friend that travels with you, attends dance class together, shares nutrition tips or practises new recipes together? That’s your lifestyle companion. You both click because you share so much in common. You have similar habits, tastes, budgets, goals, or values. They’re the one you text when you spot a new restaurant to try. Spending time together is always easy and fun.
10
The One With No Filter
This friend doesn’t sugarcoat things and will always be honest with. She doesn’t hold back her thoughts or opinions and isn’t afraid to speak her mind. Sometimes she might be too direct or go too far, but deep down, it’s her straightforwardness that you appreciate about her.
11
The Reliable Friend
You can always rely on these types of friends for honest advice, without any bias. Their ability to make tough decisions is a big help when you’re in a bind. They’re among the most caring people in your circle, and they’re always there to guide you in the right direction.
12
The Social Butterfly
This friend’s social skills are impressive, a people person. They’re totally at ease at parties, even if they go solo, and can chat with anyone about anything. While you admire their ability to make connections, hanging out with them might mean you’ll spend some time alone. But they’re a great friend to learn from when it comes to socializing.
13
Your Work Buddy
When you need a break from your desk for a coffee run, this is the person you invite. You spend more time with them than any other friend, sharing so much about your lives without even realizing it. You’re close at work, either keeping the friendship there or staying tight even after leaving the workplace. Either way, they’re great friends to have.
14
Your Oldest Friend
This friend goes way back to your childhood. You might still be close or not, but they can always remind you they’re your oldest friend. Having someone with such a long history can be both a blessing and a challenge, depending on the situation. But the bond you share from all those years is truly valuable.
15
Your Family Bestie
Admit it, spending time with your family is the best. Whether it’s your parents, siblings, or cousins, if you’re lucky enough to have one of them as your best friend, everything else feels right.
16
The Friend Who Fish For Complement
We all seek compliments now and then, but there’s that one friend who does it a lot. She’s always fishing for compliments, whether she’s complaining about her makeup, weight, hair, or her flawlessness. She pretends things are bad, but she knows they’re not. She just wants to hear you say it.
17
The Skin-tight Friend
This friend sticks to you like glue, no matter where you go, at any social event, she’s right by your side. It shows she trusts you and likes your company, but you might need to choose events to attend together more carefully to have some space.
18
The Friend Who Guilt-Trips
This friend makes you feel guilty whenever you cancel plans or can’t make it to an event. She might even bring up times you’ve failed her in the past to stir up feelings of guilt, this could accompany silent treatment from time to time. But strangely, she often forgets important events in your life, like your birthday, or misses the time you celebrated getting promoted at work, or rarely asks about what’s going on in your life.
19
The Boy-obssessed Friend
This is the type pretty much every woman has and conversations with her often revolve around boys and dating, and she may seem less interested in other topics. She typically spends way too much time talking about finding a boyfriend or meeting cute guys, or hooking up. She might even prioritize going to places where she thinks she can meet potential partners, like parties or social events and she plans her outfits, nights out. Overall, her focus on finding a boyfriend or meeting guys always dominates her thoughts and actions.
20
The Narcissist
Not every friend is a positive influence. In fact, you might have a few in your circle that make you question the friendship.
Maybe when you’re together they talk about themselves for hours before asking you a question about yourself, but they will always manage to turn the conversation back to them. Maybe they’re emotionally draining, put you down as a joke or only reach out only when they want something from you. They might not mean any harm, but it’s still frustrating.
Closing Thoughts
No matter which type of friend you end up with, there’s always something to learn from them. They can teach you about setting boundaries, standing up for yourself, or even help you learn the kind of people you don’t want in your life, and figure out the people you want to be associated with. There you have it, these are just 20 types of friends I’ve seen circulate in and out of my life. If you had to pick one, which type do you think you’d be?
