We all had that one BFF growing up in the ’90s—a magical bond forged through late-night phone calls, gossip about strict parents, and coordinating outfits. Despite how much things have changed, the fundamentals remain the same. You still spend late nights on the phone with your BFF, gossiping and coordinating outfits but pretending it was a total accident. Actually, things aren’t all that different after all. We’re just older and drink way more wine.
Best friends are like the siblings we never had. Or maybe we did have siblings but we just didn’t like them very much. While your siblings might steal your favorite toys and run around with your training bra on their heads (*cough* happened to a ‘friend’), your best friend was the one you’d make prank calls with and the shoulder to cry on when your crush was holding hands with someone else on the playground.
We wouldn’t be where we are without our best friends, both back in the ’90s and today, even though times might have changed a bit.
The Fights We Get Into
In the ’90s: Your BFF totally promised to take care of your digital pet while you were away on vacation, but she let it die. You couldn’t look at her the same after that.
Today: Adults don’t really fight anymore. Instead, we leave passive-aggressive comments on Facebook and purposely don’t like each other’s Instagram posts.
How We Make Up Afterward
In the ’90s: Living in a pre-smartphone era meant getting through a fight with your BFF involved passing her a note in class, complete with plenty of frown faces. You’d dot the i’s with hearts so she knew how sad you were without her, ending it with “LYLAS” — “love you like a sis,” for everyone who forgot how we used to abbreviate stuff.
Now: The peace offering usually involves a $12 Starbucks coffee drink and a smiling selfie of you two together to put the past behind you.
Friday Night Entertainment
In the ’90s: We’d head to the mall and buy fake nose rings from Claire’s, right before sneaking into an R-rated movie. We were so bad.
Now: Who goes out anymore? Not us. Give us something on Netflix to binge-watch and a bottle or two (or twelve) of wine, and we’re good to go. Can you say FriYAY?
Playing Wingwoman
In the ’90s: After deciding who the love of your life was using the almighty cootie catcher, you’d stage a run-in during science class, while your BFF kept other girls away.
Today: Every BFF knows the way to help you find lasting love involves spending 14 hours stalking him on Facebook with nothing but his middle name.
Squad Goals
In the ’90s: Essentially, life was all about finding three other girls as cool as you so you could pretend to be the Spice Girls.
Now: The good news is you only need one more person to do the Single Ladies dance, but you’re not much of a people person these days, so your BFF is more than enough.
