The 4 Types Of Friends You Need In Your Thirties

The thirties are the prime years of our lives (sorry, twenties). If you would have asked me a couple years ago, I would have swore to you that friendships were all about drinking, partying, and the occasional deep conversations where you put your heart and soul on the line. Though I’ve had my share of fulfilling friendship in my twenties, I’m loving the evolving and developing relationships of my thirties. At this point, I’ve been friends with my besties for over ten years, and these girls aren’t going anywhere. We do not have proximity on our side anymore, but our friendships have evolved, and we too wear many hats, including those of the four friend types we all need in our thirties.

The Work Friend

In your thirties, you’re in the prime of your career. Whether you are an entrepreneur or working for the man, you tend to form valuable business relationships with your coworkers. You may have one or more work friends, but we all have that work friend who knows more about you than your best friend, simply due to the fact that you see them almost every day. You trust this person with your gossip and messy secrets, and you two frequently take extended coffee and lunch breaks together. When one of you moves on to another job, you’ll likely lose touch in real life, but they will keep in touch via social media, indefinitely.

The Mature Friend

This your friend who has a few or more years of wisdom on you. They may have lived through some milestones that you have yet to experience. Listen to your mature friend. They probably have great advice for you on your journey to true adulthood. Let’s be honest, in those first few years of your thirties, you’ll likely still have some rollover BS from your twenties. Count on your mature friend to be honest with you, tell you things you don’t want to (but, need to) hear, and keep you in check.

The Social Media Friend

How could we forget about our Internet friends? We all need that social media friend to gas us up. Communication with this friend takes place solely online. You do not even have their phone number… yet. You may have randomly followed each other on Instagram, or you may have been added to the same Facebook group. Since you met them in cyberspace, your social media posts never go unliked. In some cases, you may meet up with this friend offline, and build a more sustainable relationship.

The Travel Friend

Having a friend you can travel with in your thirties is a must! I’ve been blessed with many, and luckily, we all still travel together. I understand that life happens, and it’s easy to get wrapped up in the day-to-day grind, especially in your thirties. However, there is nothing like having a friend who can get up and go when you find a great travel deal or propose a random weekend trip. These friends have disposable income and flexible schedules. You need a friend like this to keep you spontaneous, and help you achieve that work-life balance that we thirty-somethings so desperately need.