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Just Friends (This I Believe Essay)
Just Friends
Rhaelynn Robinson
Ms. Gardner
College English
30 August 2018
Just Friends
I believe that guys and girls can be just friends. Many people have told me that this is not true. They say, “No guy just wants to be friends with a girl” and in my opinion this is sexist. I say that mainly because the people who tell me this are all females.
I look back into the past and realize that I wasn’t told this often. It started to become something that was normal for my ears to hear as I got into my teen years. Then, gradually as I got even older, around about fifteen or sixteen, I was lucky if I didn’t hear it at least twice a week.
Right before my senior year, when I was seventeen, I got my first job. My friends and family constantly asked me about how my day at work was, so I would tell them. “Oh, it was great! I made some new friends today and everyone that works there is super nice and helpful.” Most people tell me they are happy that I am happy and some people just jump to asking me questions about the guys I work with.
On a personal note, I have a cousin who is nineteen and whenever I call her to tell her about my day at work she always starts the conversation with, “Who kissed you?” I don’t appreciate this so I sat down on my bed with her one night and tried to tell her that we were all just really good friends. She ended up laughing in my face and said, “I used to say the same thing then next thing you know, we were doing more than just hanging out.”
It upsets me that she doesn’t understand this because she has it in her head that because “she” can’t be just friends with guys, means that no other female can either. I was trying to tell her that just because she didn’t keep it in the friends stage didn’t mean that I can’t. My intentions with the people from work are strictly professional. They will remain that way also.
If you have the idea in your head that you are just going to be friends and if you only think of that person as a friend, then you will be able to be great friends. Every person is different and has different views on certain things. This is an example of one of those moments.
Guys and girls can be friends with no other strings attached. Lots of people do it. Children grow up getting taught to be nice to both boys and girls and then they end up being best friends. Now that I am older, it seems like everyone forgot about telling me to be friends with both guys and girls. It just doesn’t make any sense to me.
In my opinion, this topic is one that needs to be covered more often. It is turning into an issue that someone needs to put a spotlight on and get it solved. This, I do believe.
Jana Rampling
Apr 4, 2022Good article!