Friendships and the evolutions of them throughout time and life events and whatnot... It's the craziest phenomenon that's simultaneously prevalent and so hard to understand. We all have relationships with others that we observe strengthen and then weaken as people grow together and then apart. It's easy on paper, but when taking into account all the facets of a single relationship and what they mean to those individuals, it's a headache. The following is a list of questions about the events and factors of a relationship. The answers to these questions can say a lot about how two people know and feel about each other.

-How did they meet?

-What mediums do they use to keep in contact?

-Do they go to school together?

-Do they work together?

-In what other ways might they interact outside of scheduled "friend time"?

-Are they both a part of a hierarchy of some sort?

-Are they romantically involved?

-Are they sexually involved?

-How close do they live together?

These and many more qualities of a friendship dictate what type of friendship it is. That is, how close the two are and in what capacities are they friends. I think I'm realizing that as we get older and we mature, so do our relationships. They are able to take the stresses of multiple contexts. We can have friends who we see in different settings, work with, live with, etc. Of course we all need our own space, but it becomes more possible to use the foundation of a friendship to launch into a more productive partnership. It tests the patience, communication skills, and commitment of both parties, but it is very much possible. I am learning to become more cautious about how I speak and interact with those whom I want to keep in my life for a long duration. It is scary as all hell, but there's no learning to be done in staying safe.