Qualities Of A Good Friend

A good friend will always give a helping hand

It is good to make friends. However, some teenagers do not take basic things into consideration when making friends. Although true friendships can start instantly, they take time to build.

Here are a few qualities to look for when making friends as a teen and beyond.

1. A good friend is honest.
A good friend may not share every detail or every secret with you, but he or she does try to be clear about his or her intentions. This means that he or she tries to present an accurate picture of who he or she is and about different situations. When something doesn't seem right, he or she lets you know.

2. A good friend is fun, unique and interesting.
This is probably the reason you became friends, in the first place.

As for fun, it depends on how you define it: Some friends are fun to be with because they're the life of the party, others are fun because they notice every strange little detail about a situation. Some people are fun simply because they see life like no one else does.

3. A good friend is attentive and adaptable.
A good friend is a fairly good listener and notices how little, day-to-day things affect you. He or she can't read your mind, but most often can tell when you're happy, sad, excited, shocked or upset. If he or she finds out you are hurt or angry then he or she tries at least to talk to you about them.

4. A good friend is supportive.
A really good friend will know what your goals are and help you become the person you want to be. He or she won't try to change who you are or drag you into situations that make you uncomfortable or put you at risk of losing something that matters very much to you.

5. A good friend is one you can trust.
A true friend won't try to steal your belongings. He or she won't gossip about you or try to damage your reputation. Such a friend will let you know when he or she is concerned and will stick up for you when you're in trouble.

6. A good friend cares about you.
Different people may have different ways of letting you know that they care about you. One person may give you a big hug, whereas another may gently tease you. A big clue that someone cares is that he or she talks to you fairly often and, in general, knows what's going on in your life.

7. A good friend sticks with you in good and in bad times.

Loyalty is a quality almost everyone lists when asked what he or she looks for in a friend. A loyal friend will stick with you through difficult times, such as when you “bomb” in your exams or when your parents get divorced. If you move from the neighbourhood or switch schools, he or she will do his or her best to stay in touch with you.

8. A good friend accepts you for who you are.
Friendship goes hand in hand with loyalty. A true friend moves along as you grow and change and knows how to deal with your faults.

He is also patient with you when you make mistakes, even big ones, and forgives you when you hurt him or her. In other words, he or she treats you as you'd like to be treated, even when you aren't at your best.