We’ve all heard the saying, “blood is thicker than water,” and it’s usually true. My family is my ride or die, my all-or-nothing, my lifeline. But sometimes, blood doesn’t mean much; my father is none of these things to me, whereas some of my best friends are as close to me as my very own sister. There are far too many amazing reasons why your best friend is your sister, even if you're not bonded by blood.
Your heart is big enough for a lot of people in life, and sometimes, those bonds with friends are really what you need and stand out from the rest. If you’re like me, there are plenty of family issues to vent about, and who better than your trusted bestie to tell them to? My mom always told me that friends come and go, but you will always have family. While that has mostly been proven to be true, I also know that I have friends who will always have my back and be on my side. Even if they can’t physically be there with me or for me, I can sleep at night knowing they are just there.
Again, while nothing on earth beats the connection I have with my two sisters (or my brother), friends fill another special place in my life, and these are often different than what you share with your sister. Nothing can outshine family, but here are nine moments when your best friend definitely becomes a special type of sister.
01When You Need A Shoulder To Cry On
This is definitely a thing you do with anyone you’re super close with. I tend to suffer in silence, but, like any human being with emotions, I will need to let it out at some point — and my friends are great to do that with. There’s no judgement, there’s no talking when you don’t want there to be; they just know you like no one else, and the emotional support is palpable.
02When You're In Need Of Some Honest Fashion Advice
While you can get anything from Google, there’s nothing like human conversation when trying to figure out a Friday night outfit. You may know what you’re supposed to wear for a job interview, but who’s going to tell you that your dress is see-through from the back and from far away? Who’s going to tell you that blazer clashes with your shoes? What if a dress goes up just a tad too much in the back?
A best friend will always come in clutch with essential style advice. And even though my actual sister can give me the same advice, the age difference does wonders for preference. My friends? They are my age and have similar taste.
03When You Want To Freak Out About Something
Sisters can sometimes be a little too underwhelming. While I can 100 percent count on my sister to connect with a tweet or meme as much as I do, I don’t always get that same in-person experience. My friends definitely fill that position as my hype girls or freakout queens. If I want to rant about a show, they’re there. If I want to laugh about a stupid meme for three days straight? Bam, there. That’s true friendship.
04When You Need To Gush Or Cry About A Guy
There are few things I will not talk to my sister about, and relationships are one of them. Sure, I’ll listen to her troubles, or at least talk about theoretical cases, but I don’t want to (nor have I ever) gone off about Tinder to her. Will I in the future? I’m not sure, but right now, my friends have my back.
When you do get that butterflies-in-your-stomach feeling when he looks at you, it’s going straight in a text to the girls. When you want to just shout from the roof that you’re happy, it’s going to the girls. Your girls will not only be hype as hell for you, but will also be a great source for advice and crying (I’m sorry, but it’s going to happen).
05When You Get Hit With That “U Up?” Text
On that note, the dating world for a Latina is a mixed bag a lot of the time, so when I get a salacious message, request, or just bump into a papi chulo (the bad kind), you know who I’m going to first: my girls. They just get it.
You know who gets the screenshot of someone's stupid “U up?” text, or the “You have snapchat” message? I don’t even have to tell you, but it’s your besties. You would have sent them so many times (because men are apparently not creative) that you and your friend just communicate in fuckboy terms now. “U up?” with an eggplant emoji just translates to “Good morning” in a text to your best gal pals. It’s cute.
06When You Don't Want To Have To Explain Something
Not many people can understand or handle what I like to call your own personal brand of crazy. I am very particular, as many are, and only those closest to me appreciate my nuances and my humor. And it is the best feeling to not have to constantly explain yourself to new people. Your best friends just automatically translate your ramblings; they have your own made-up dictionary memorized. It’s such a good feeling to be able to not use names or even many descriptors about a person or event, and have your bestie just be able to spout back details from years ago as if she heard you rant about it yesterday.
07When You Need That Perfect Amount Of Support
Along with being your wing woman and your cheerleader, best friends are just so good at making you feel great about anything, but most especially, life achievements. One friend will always hit me with a “I’m so proud of you” text, and those words have never meant so much to me. Those little things are what make me smile the most. People may get a like from Brie Larson on Twitter on a daily basis, but my best friend will hear me scream from one room over, and then happy dance with me the minute after.
08When You Need Sex Advice Or Want To Dish It Out
Along with not talking to my biological sister about relationships, I would never share my past or current intimate experiences with her, either, and that will most likely not change. Even if it’s about my personal journey and not related to being with someone else, it’s something only a best friend can understand (at least for me). My friends and I are so close and know so much about each other that this topic is a common talking point and nothing can get us to bat an eyelash (for the most part). Plus, you sometimes just need to hear about someone else’s forays and let the advice fly.
09When You Need To Stress About The Future
As seniors in college, my friends and I are Stressed, capital “S.” We have more than a semester left (two quarters for some), and we are already getting those dreaded “What’s next?” questions. I just want to reply with a “Can you not?”
My best friends are right there with me, though. Unlike my younger sisters, I can talk to my friends about what I’m going through and have them right there going through it, too. And even after we graduate, we’re going to be on the same wavelength, stressing about similar life experiences. Depending on who you are, it’s easier in a group setting to collectively unpack your anxieties.
