When you’re single, you rely on your friends to fill that void left by not having a significant other. When you find love, you may be tempted to fall into couple hibernation with your new significant other, but don’t do that. The love you have with your friends isn’t diminished by your new romance, and there are things you’ll always need your friends for.
- You need someone to talk to about girl stuff. Boyfriends are great, but there are some things they’ll never understand, like periods, fashion, and why Nicholas Sparks books/movies are awesome. When you need some girl time, you need to still have your girls available to hang out with, so make time to keep up with them.
- You need your shopping buddies. It’s lame to make your boyfriend go clothes shopping with you, unless he actually enjoys it (and most of them don’t.) When you need some new threads, it’ll be more fun to make it a girls’ day complete with lunch and cocktails. Then, you can meet up with him later for date night and rock a cute new outfit.
- You need advice when you’re considering a new hairstyle/color. When you’re considering a major change like chopping off your long locks in favor of a pixie cut or going blonde when you’ve always been brunette, you’ll likely be looking for opinions on whether it’s a good decision. It’s perfectly fine to consider your guy’s opinion too, but your girls will be able to consider it from a point of view similar to your own.
- You need to talk about your career and goals. Your dude is also a good source of career advice, but he probably hasn’t been in your life as long as your friends have. When you’re considering a career change or just trying to plan the best course to meet your goals, it’s worth having a conversation with the people who’ve been there to support you for years.
- You need someone to watch romantic movies with. Most guys would rather gouge out their own eyes than watch The Notebook with you, so be a nice girlfriend and don’t torture your guy. When there’s a romantic movie you really want to see (or re-watch), plan a girls’ night and encourage him to go hang out with his friends too. He’ll appreciate you being so understanding.
- You need to talk about your relationship. It’s an obvious one, but very important. When you’re in a relationship, you need to talk about it with people other than your boyfriend. Your friends were there for you through the crazy single days, and they’ll continue to be there as you navigate the workings of a new relationship.
- You need your friends to help you get ready for major life changes. When life is getting serious and you’re considering major steps like marriage or kids, you’ll need your girls around for moral support because those are major steps. Also, if a wedding is in your future, you’ll need bridesmaids.
- You need unconditional love and support. Finding love is awesome, but romantic relationships end all the time. In the event of a breakup, you’re going to need your friends more than ever, so don’t neglect your friendships just because your relationship is on the upswing. Your friends have always been the constant in your life while romance has been a rapidly changing variable; remember that they love you and will be there to support you when you need it.
