Everyone have friends.
What make you become friends?
In the university,I often find some people get together and become friends just become their family are rich,
and they go outside for drinking or shopping at the same time and place.
I think about that frequently,are they true friends or just because of money?
In the past,people make friends sometimes because of studying at school.They often discuss some questions
together.Therefore they become friends because they have the same things what they are all interested in.
Now the people have many kinds of hobby,my classmates often talk about somethings like soccer,basketball,
PCgame and so on.In my opinion,they are "true firends"for the same hobby.
Personally speaking,I want to have firends as many as possible,may be you have the same idea.
However,we need keep calm and judge who is your "true firends" clearly at the same time.
Frist,if you have the same interest on somethings.
For example, anime.^o^

I think we have a different opinion on what a 'true' friend is supposed to be.

To me, a friend is simply a friend. Someone whom you've become well acquainted with and usually talk to on a regular basis or hang out with.

The meaning of a true friend is a lot deeper than that. Someone who won't simply say things are your problems. One who you can talk to about anything...and I mean anything. One who will stand by you in a fight, and vice versa.

I have a lot of friends. People I've met across the internet and pals I met in both high school and in my college courses. They vary from across the state to across the world.

However, I only have one true friend. He and I hang out all the time, and this semester we're even going to be in a few classes together.

A friend who befriends you simply because you have money isn't a friend...it's a leech. Get away from them as soon as you can.

Hmm interesting.

online i meet a few people like only here on AP for example, since this community seems to be very nice, helpful, andtalented. like i joined last year lol (apparantely becoming active now for some reason) and people helping me brush up on PS skills makes friends easy. then theres the benefits of groups.

anyways online this community is the only place i guess i can make friends, on XBL (xbox live on xbox360) thats a whole different story.

when i started uniersity it took like 2 weeks and now im friends with like practially 40% of the class, plus i joined the polish club in my uni so i can meet chicks and good friends (my beer buddies lol) of my nationality. i think university is cool.

but my friend from highschool, he's a keeper ive known him for a while, were like dumb and dumber. i love those long friendships.

Hi guys! For me a friend is someone who can help you without asking for something in exchange. I have many friends, and almost all of them are my best friends. Until the University I found many of my best friends, before that I only got just a few friends. They have helped me many times, thtat's why I always try to help them in anything they need, and none of us ask for something in exchange. Well, that's my opinion.

See ya... ^_^

In my opinion a true friend is one that will always stand by your side through the good and bad (unconditionally love so to speak), much like marriage just with none of the romantic involvement. however, i have learned thoughout my life that hardly anyone can meet those standards, friends crack under unspecified (a value that varies between all people and where in their life they are) pressures and will leave you high and dry, wallowing in your own problems, without a prayer of support. it is best not to be too dependant on anyone because no relationship is unconditional.

i find that most people lack the ability to empathize or sympathize with other people, sometimes even when they themselves have been through something similiar and it can easily cause huge rifts in a friendship or any relationship for that matter. such as when my father died, i fell into a huge bout of depression and did some crazy things, unfortunately hurting some people i cared about in the process. not one of those people could understand what i was going through and therefore attacked and punished me for my actions, not even my supposed best-friend at the time. i used to live in that fantasy world, believing that my friends cared about me to the point they would stand by me no matter what, but thats bullshit. i don't even trust my wife would stand by me no matter what. however, life is about risk, sometimes we lose and sometimes we win (mostly lose) and i would rather have friends then no friends or have love then no love. i will always keep a close eye on them and my heart.

I'm not so sure such a negative outlook is really necessary zeal.

After all, what defines a friend from a true friend is exactly what you described. How much are they willing to go through? How much are you willing to go through for them? I've yet to have anything realitively close to my friend leaving me high and dry, and vice versa.

There are times when he calls and rants and raves about his parents or sister, but I just endure and listen. I'm amazed that he actually puts up with it though. Both meeting his parents and hearing what they do to him or accuse him of, I can say with 100% accuracy that I probably would've either had a nervous breakdown or killed myself if they were my parents. He puts up with so much shit it amazes me.

A true friend should stand with you no matter what. Through smooth and rough times, through good and bad times, through thick and thin, through calm and stormy. They'll stick with you no matter what, even if you do happen to piss them off or make them angry. If you insult a friend, annoy them or anger them and they either avoid you or take what you said fully to heart, then it isn't a true friend.

Most friends know each other well enough to tell when the other is suffering. Most will either try to get them to talk about it, leave well enough alone or just endure whatever is thrown at them.

And on the subject of loses, I lost both my maternal grandparents last year. My friend, just on Friday, lost his grandfather. Actually, we were walking out of the theatre after seeing 'Snakes on a Plane' when he got the message. All I could do was pat him on the back and give him a couple words of encouragement, as I'd been down that road before.

Some things in life are taken for granted. Don't let your friendship with someone be one of them.

@Miroku I think you didn't get Zealkai's point since it seems you've been the one supporting your friends but when you go thru some hardships you'll find whether that is reciprocal.

Oh believe me, I've been supported by my friend before too.

The main reason I did so poorly my first 3 semesters in college were because of the constant situations with my grandparents, and he listened to me ramble on about it. He also listened when I just wanted to talk when both my grandparents passed on. Believe me, I was depressed as all hell after I lost my grandfather. It was like a chapter of my life had closed, and it was hard to move forward.

Yet, he helped me through it. I still have a couple refills left on my Prozac perscription, but I haven't really had the need to take the anti-depressant at all. It only worsens my insomnia.

My point above still stands. If your friends aren't willing to stay with you after you've done something to make them angry (or at least listen to an explanation or apology) then don't count them amongst your friends.

No true friends at all..

True friends...They're the ones who stand by you and help you out no matter what. They'll keep your secrets, unless they're the kind along these lines: "I'm being abused", "I'm depressed", "I'm a cutter", etc. (I'm none of those, in case you're wondering. Abused or depressed or a cutter, I mean. XD) Even if they don't agree with you, they agree to differ - or if the choice you make is the wrong one, then they'll help you get back on track.
In all honesty, I have about six true friends...We all like anime, but different shows. We like to read books, but not the same books as each other. We like music, but we have different tastes. We all agree to differ. (Heck, even our parents have wondered about that. XD)
Sometimes we gather and tell each other what we don't like about each other, just so that it doesn't build up...If you tell a true friend something about that person s/he doesn't want to hear, s/he tries to change for the better. S/he won't insult you or get mad at you on the spot just like that.
The point is, you don't need to have the same interests to be friends. It's who you are and how you do things that makes you a true friend.

There is only one way you can separate true friends from just friends and this is how.

True friends are friends that will be there for you always. They will support you in just about everything. They're always there to listen when you need to cry or laugh etc. They never judge you they just accept you for who you are... no matter of who that might be. They are your rock.. and they help you out when your having trouble. A true friend is someone you can confide in and you know you can trust them.

At some point in time every person will experience some form of tradgedy or hardship that they don't think they will ever get past and this is the point where you really test your friendships. What im trying to say is during a time like this you can really see who your real friends are. Real friends will be there to listen and help you however they can whereas friends will judge and give there own opinion which at that time is not what you want. At least thats the way I see it.

To be completly honest I do have alot of friends but I would only consider 2 of them to be true friends.

Anyway to sum it all up I believe friends only see what happens on the outside but true friends understand whats happening on the inside...

I have many friends but no true friend i just can't trust them all...

Have tons of friends... but none that I can trust.
Basically.. I have to deal with things myself.. but I'm fine with that
When I solve my own problems by myself... I feel like I have accomplished something.

Miroku-sama, the circumstances which you describe in your post are some of the most minor issues a friendship can go through. having to listen to your friend rant and rave should be a pleasure, some of the heavy things a relationship can go through are more like; voilence, theft, drug use, suicide threats, betrayal etc.. etc.. not that i neccesarily did any these, what i did exactly is none of anyone's business but these are real issues and WILL put a major strain on any relationship. you'll find, many people will get more and more distant as the stress on them caused by another friend builds over time. people are naturally, i don't wanna say selfish, but they protect themselves above all(in most cases). you and i can talk a big game, like we will do anything for our friends no matter what the situation, but only when the shit hits the fan will we know the truth, will we know our breaking point.

oh and i'm sorry for your loss, however i would never use drugs (prozac) to get over it, your brain as a organ actually learns from situations (i dont mean you learn, i mean it learns) and damage. you can teach it one of two things; you can teach it to cope with things using its own power or teach it to become dependant on outside support(drugs, booze, that sorta of thing). me, ill take independence over dependence anyday.

oh and i take nothing for granted, which is in sharp contrast to almost everyone i see around me.

I have a lot of friends , some can be trusted . . . but the unique thing is friend doesn't have to be have a same hobbies , my hobbies was very different from all of my friends , I like anime very much but my friends didn't