14 Reasons Your Hometown Friends Are Your Friends For Life

High school and college gave most of us the time and ability to weed out fake friends and place our loyalty in our besties -- the ones in it for the long run. And as we begin our busy, full-time careers, we find who's making the time to stay in touch and who's willing to let it go.

Like our college friends, our hometown friends will always hold a special place in our hearts -- and will most likely be in our wedding parties someday.

Let’s be real: Your hometown #squad gets you like no one else does. They’ve known you forever and have grown up with you since middle school, grade school or even earlier.

Your hometown friends know you were a Brownie, Girl Scout, soccer player, lacrosse player and dancer. They remember when you pretended to be a hairdresser and cut your bangs yourself (and they saved their laughter for when you were out of the room).

You’ve cried over guys, synced your cycles and dealt with the dreaded awkward phase together. You got dropped off at the mall and movies, went to football games, shopped for formal dresses together and had numerous sleepover parties.

You’ve celebrated each birthday, bat mitzvah, Sweet 16 and twenty-first birthday bash together -- the latter with a gift bag full of airplane bottles. You have been to Ring Dances, cotillions and proms together, and you have a zillion pics to prove it.

You’ve basically done everything with your hometown friends, and the memories are irreplaceable.

This is why hometown friends are truly your friends for life.

1. They don’t judge you.

You can tell your hometown friends anything because they respect the (unspoken) judgment-free zone when you’re together.

2. They stuck by you all throughout high school, and they always will.

Your hometown squad always has your back.

Those sneaky high school bitches never had a chance at coming between you and your crew.

3. Their family is your family.

When you think of a second family, all of your hometown friends’ families come to mind.

You’ve gone on family vacations with them.

And now that you’re adults, you can count on your friends' moms to pour you a glass of wine when you’re down or step up to host the traditional mom/daughter holiday party.

4. You never hesitate to admit when you totally f*cked up.

They’ll make you feel better about it because that’s what true friends are all about.

Let’s be real. What’s the fun in never f*cking up anyway? Live and learn.

5. They will always be brutally honest with you.

… Even when you don’t want to hear it.

6. You survived high school drama together.

The drama actually brought you even closer than you were before.

So when it comes down to it, thank those bitches who tried to mess with you and your homegirls. Because YOU won.

7. You always laugh at the same inside jokes.

They’re timeless, and no one but you and your squad understands them.

8. They will help you get through any breakup.

The concerned friends they are, they’ll come bearing ice cream and encourage you to get back on your game ASAP.

9. They’ll rip apart any b*tch your ex is dating.

When your ex has a new girlfriend, you can count on your main girls to point out all of that bitch’s flaws to cheer you up. If she doesn’t have any, they will make some up to make you feel better.

10. They’ve been your main squad since day one.

From sitting at the lunch table and gossiping on the school bus to graduating high school and visiting one another’s colleges, your squad has done it all together.

11. They’re the first ones you got f*cked up with.

And you wouldn’t have it any other way.

12. They’re the only ones that know your hometown just as well as you.

You and your hometown friends wouldn’t be the people you all are today without your roots: the place where you were born and raised and the majority of your memories together happened.

13. Your friendship is like "The Sisterhood Of The Traveling Pants."

From fashion sense, to taste in guys, you’re all so different, and that’s what makes you the perfect well-rounded group of best friends.

14. Whenever you see your hometown squad, it’s as if no time has passed.

Time has nothing on your friendship.

I love my hometown friends for who they are inside and out. I am so lucky to have them. We’re all unique in our own ways, and when we're together, we create a force like no other.

Here’s to my hometown girls. I love you like sisters -- yesterday, today and forever.