(But We’re All Secretly Following Anyway)
If you’d told teenage me that one day I’d be writing a list of “friendship rules,” I’d have rolled my eyes, adjusted my studded belt, and blasted Avril Lavigne through my off-brand MP3 player. Yet here we are: grown, tired, overcaffeinated, and suddenly realising that friendships in your twenties and thirties come with more unspoken rules than a Maltese bus queue on a humid August afternoon.
But honestly? I love it.
Friendships now are deeper, funnier, messier, and more loyal than anything I ever had in school. So here they are my 2025 Friendship Rules, written with equal parts chaos and heart.
Rule 1: “Are You Alive?” Check-In
Friendship in 2025 is basically sending your friend a random TikTok, not speaking for three days, and then suddenly dropping:
“Hey babe, are you alive?”
That counts as care. That counts as love.
And honestly, it works.
According to Hello Giggles, micro-check-ins are one of the biggest friendship trends of the year People don’t want pressure. They want presence.
Rule 2: The Sacred Group Chat
Every friend group has that chat.
The one where chaos brews, receipts are shared, and someone always sends a “girls you will NOT believe what just happened” voice note at 02:00.
Rules of the group chat are simple:
- Screenshots stay in the chat
- No one judges the typos
- If someone goes quiet, they’re either asleep or spiralling — either way, send memes
Teen Vogue actually did a whole piece about the psychology of group chats (because of course they did), and it made me feel way too seen.
Rule 3: Cancel Plans, But With Love
2025 is the year of soft cancellations, and honestly? Thank goodness.
“Babe, I love you, but my social battery is 2%.”
“Rain check!” PMS has taken my soul.”
“I tried to become dressed but my jeans betrayed me.”
We get it.
We’ve all been there.
Friendship now is about understanding capacity, not punishment.
Rule 4: The Red Flag Radar
One thing I didn’t expect in adulthood was how protective we become of our friends.
When you bring home someone new, the group immediately conducts a thorough vibe analysis:
- Does he clap when the plane lands?
- Does he think The Office is a personality trait?
- Does he say “I don’t watch TV”? (Run.)
We’re older now. We have less time for nonsense.
This rule exists for a reason.
Rule 5: Share Your Wins Loudly
Nothing, and I emphasise nothing, surpasses adult friendships in which your friends celebrate your successes more enthusiastically than you do.
Got a new job?
They’re planning drinks.
Did you post a reel that received 10k views?
They shared it in their story before you even asked.
Made your bed before 09:00?
Honestly… achievements are achievements.
This is where LADbible energy meets real emotional support — celebrate everything, even the tiny victories.
Rule 6: We Accept Each Other’s Weirdness
Friendship now means knowing each other’s strange habits and loving them anyway.
She eats cereal at night.
He converses with the cat as if it were a rent payment.
I narrate my life like it’s a reality show.
This is the golden rule:
Be the friend you can be weird around.
Rule 7: Honour the Emergency Protocol
Every friendship group has an Emergency Protocol.
It usually includes:
- A designated “crisis friend”
- A bottle of wine
- A playlist from 2007
- Someone finding the screenshot before you even ask
- A safe place to rant for exactly 17 minutes
No judgement.
All you need is love, snacks, and strategy.
Rule 8: Give Space Without Disappearing
We’re adults.
We have jobs, partners, bills, burnout cycles, and a weird obsession with checking property prices “just to see.”
Sometimes we need space.
Sometimes life gets overwhelming.
But the rule is:
Take space, don’t vanish.
A simple:
“Going quiet for a few days, babe, but I’m okay”
is all it takes to stop the group from going full CSI: Mdina.
Rule 9: Laugh Together Like You’re 15 Again
The friendships that last are the ones where you can still belly-laugh until someone snorts.
You share ancient jokes, stupid memories, and those moments that feel like little bursts of joy in a very loud world.
According to psychology articles on places like Cosmopolitan and Refinery29, friendships built on humour tend to last longer and make you feel more emotionally safe.
Rule 10: Choose Each Other
At the end of the day, friendship in 2025 is not about matching tattoos, perfectly curated birthdays, or aesthetic brunch photos.
It’s about choosing each other again and again even when life gets messy, stressful, or a little bit boring.
We’re adults now.
We know what a “good friend” feels like.
And honestly? That’s the best rule of all.
