I/E and Ideal Number of Friends

[Honor]

i have more deep friendships than i could ever want actually

Great to hear someone say this!

unfortunately they don't live here

I hope you have a Skype account, Facebook account, or otherwise can keep in touch with them a lot.

 

[Ghost of the dead horse]

This probably seems like an obvious question, but it may prove interesting anyway.

How many close friends do you have? How many would you have in your ideal circumstances? By close friend, I mean someone who you regularly involve in your life and/or someone who you inform of the major events of your life. Include family members that you are willingly close to.

This is a damned interesting question, if outright obvious one.
Close friends: 1-5. Currently I'm unsure. There's lot of things happening right now.
Close friends under ideal circumstances? 5. Practically, 1 is good. Practically, 3 close friends means much to do. Ideally, 5 tops, because more of friends wouldn't be close anymore. Ideally, perhaps less than 5, because being close to 5 at the same time means an awful lot of time just with friends and not anywhere else.

 

[21%]

Family members: 3
SO: 1
Group of friends: 5

So... 9?

Ideally I'd like to be a bit closer to my group of friends, because there's probably only one very close, and the rest are more 'in the circle'.

 

[Honor]

This is a damned interesting question, if outright obvious one.
Close friends: 1-5. Currently I'm unsure. There's lot of things happening right now.
Close friends under ideal circumstances? 5. Practically, 1 is good. Practically, 3 close friends means much to do. Ideally, 5 tops, because more of friends wouldn't be close anymore. Ideally, perhaps less than 5, because being close to 5 at the same time means an awful lot of time just with friends and not anywhere else.

I, too, have noticed that the more friends you have, especially when they know each other, how much more there is to do. The dynamic becomes exponentially more complicated in addition to just having more stuff to do in order to upkeep the friendship. I've found that in some ways, it's easier when you have one-on-one relationships with people as opposed to having a bunch of friends who all know each other.

 

[Honor]

Family members: 3
SO: 1
Group of friends: 5

So... 9?

Ideally I'd like to be a bit closer to my group of friends, because there's probably only one very close, and the rest are more 'in the circle'.

Ahhh, I love your username.

When you say "in the circle" do you mean that you wouldn't confide a lot of information to these people but they know the same people as you and are generally connected to you?

 

[011235813]

So there's my boyfriend, obviously, and my mom, grandma and stepdad. Also one of my aunts.
About 10 CLOSE friends I know from school or college. I have many other good friends with whom I have great relationships, but we're not as intimate.

I'm an introvert.

 

[WALMART]

It is a variable factor. I have a small set of incredibly close friends that are reliable sources of contact. I am not the same for them. I drop off the radar so hard and so often I can't imagine how they perceive me.

 

[Siúil a Rúin]

This is almost impossible for me to answer, which is kinda bizarre.

I think it is because I am so accustomed to having friendships defined by the other person. I do have a strong need to connect in a meaningful way.

 

[011235813]

I am not the same for them. I drop off the radar so hard and so often I can't imagine how they perceive me.

The same might be true for me too, actually, although I'm pretty sure people I consider close friends also regard me in the same light.

 

[21%]

Ahhh, I love your username.

TY

When you say "in the circle" do you mean that you wouldn't confide a lot of information to these people but they know the same people as you and are generally connected to you?

We are a group of friends who met at university. I'm pretty close to one of the girls in the group, and we'd text casually almost every day. The rest I feel comfortable around and trust, but don't really keep close contact with. The whole group (or at least members who can make it) meet about once every month or so for lunch or dinner and 'catch up' then. We do have a group instant-messaging thing going on though.

 

[Honor]

TY


We are a group of friends who met at university. I'm pretty close to one of the girls in the group, and we'd text casually almost every day. The rest I feel comfortable around and trust, but don't really keep close contact with. The whole group (or at least members who can make it) meet about once every month or so for lunch or dinner and 'catch up' then. We do have a group instant-messaging thing going on though.

No kidding, I have the exact same set up going on with my college friends!

 

[Honor]

This is almost impossible for me to answer, which is kinda bizarre.

I think it is because I am so accustomed to having friendships defined by the other person. I do have a strong need to connect in a meaningful way.

Strong need to connect...with one person? With more than one person?

 

[RoadPaveMent]

My ideal number is zero. Unless we count cats, in which the ideal number is unlimited.

 

[citizen cane]

I have tons of people I know, but few close friends. I'd like a few close friends, and the more acquaintances the merrier.

 

[Stansmith]

I have 2 close friends, but I'm bad at keeping in contact with people unless there's a practical direct reason for it (ie; I want to hang out). I'd like millions of friends ideally.