The Importance of Platonic Relationships

Let’s face it: we live in a world that places the utmost importance on romantic relationships. Every type of media seems to be focused on it as the one thing we need. Even books and shows about the end of the world have main characters who spend their time worrying about when they’ll fall in love and who they’ll fall in love with. We’re bombarded by rom-coms and reality shows about finding the perfect match every day of our lives. So it’s really no mystery why people, especially people who are college age, end up feeling empty without a significant other.

I’m as susceptible to it as anyone else. I’ve spent days feeling awful just because I’m not dating someone and I’ve cried over the fact that I think I’m never going to find anyone. It’s a terrible feeling and the world we live in does nothing to comfort us other than say, “you’ll find someone eventually.” And that isn’t much comfort at all.

We need to learn to put more importance on the platonic relationships in our lives because the truth of the matter is that your friends are the ones who are going to be there for you in the long run. The people you spend all your time
with, the people who make you laugh, the people who hang out with you on a daily basis, these are the people who should be the most important to you. These are the relationships that are going to last the rest of your life. And they’ll be there through all your failed relationships and breakdowns over finding “the one.” They’ll love you no matter what.

Friendships are constantly shoved to the background in popular media or, worse, ruined by becoming romantic as soon as possible. I’m not saying don’t date your friends – your friends are probably the people you’re most likely to find a successful romantic relationship with – but not every friendship has to have hidden feelings to go along with it. Some people are just friends. And that is 100% okay. In fact, it’s better than okay. It’s what you’re going to need to get through all the hard times life will throw at you.

I’ve spent most of my life worrying about when I’ll have my first date and if my crush liked me back. And looking back, I’m struck by what an immense waste of time it was. I had my first date, my first kiss, and my first relationship last summer. To be honest with you, it was two of the most stressful months of my life. And I wasn’t any happier than I’d been when I was single. It didn’t change my life. It wasn’t the forever I had imagined. And, more than that, the friendship we had before we dated and the friendship we have now, is one hundred times more important to me than our romantic relationship ever was.

And maybe I’m wasting my time trying to tell you all this. Maybe this is something you have to figure out for yourself. But I urge you to relax, to spend time with your friends, to enjoy the company of the people you’re closest to. I promise you having close friends and living your life will always be more satisfying than trying to find the perfect person to spend the rest of your life with.

So take a breath. Look at the people surrounding you. Tell them you love them.

Platonic relationships are just as important, if not more important, than romantic ones.