LIFE

Talking to strangers online was a scary concept ten years ago, but in recent years it’s become a far more common ways for teens and young adults to make friends. In fact, now it’s actually how a lot of people are meeting their BFFs. Thanks to social media like Twitter, Instagram and Tumblr, it’s now possible to make friends with people from all over the world—and we absolutely adore them. Here’s why:

You love all the same things. When you find yourself becoming friends with someone from another state you’ve never even been to, it’s probably because of some common interest that brought the two of you together. That moment you finally found another person as obsessed with Doctor Who as you are was probably one of the most pivotal moments of your entire social life. When you need someone to frantically text in all caps during the Pretty Little Liars finale, your internet friends are your go-to. Finally there’s someone else who also knows Taylor Swift’s high school crush’s favorite color! You’re not alone anymore!

You can tell them anything. There really are no boundaries with internet friends. They’ve definitely stalked all of your IRL (in real life) friends on social media, but they really don’t know any of them, so you’re free to spill all the latest gossip to a completely unbiased party. More than anything, you know they’ll never judge you no matter what you tell them.

They’ll never move away. Sometimes when your friends from home move, change schools or go off to college, it’s hard to keep in touch. The great thing about having a friendship that’s almost entirely long distance is that you already know you’ll always be friends no matter where you two are in the world.

They know everything about you. At a certain point, you forget that you met online (or that you’ve never met at all) because it feels like you’ve known each other your whole lives. They’ve seen all the pictures of your embarrassing middle school years—even though they weren’t there for them—and they’ve read and analyzed every conversation you’ve had with that boy you like.

You learn about people from all over the world. Did you know that something called fairy bread is huge in Australia? Or that in Texas they sell pickles at the movies? Well, odds are that’s something you would never learn if you didn’t have a friend who lived there. You get to learn about how other people live in all kinds of cool places without ever having to leave the comfort of your computer screen or phone. Plus, if you ever decide to finally meet, you have some incredible places to visit.

They’re always there for you. Even though they can’t be there in person, they’re always the ones you text when something exciting happens or you’re stressed or need to vent. No matter what time of day it is, you know if you need them, they’ll be there.

But remember, it’s always important to stay safe on the internet. Be careful not to give out too much personal information online, and of course don’t forget to make time for your IRL BFFs too.

What are your internet BFFs like and how did you become friends? Tell us in the comments below.

by Alexis Ancel | 6/9/2016