You've heard of the term "anniversary," but have you ever heard of the term, "friendiversary?" By definition, an anniversary is: the date on which an event took place in a previous year. Most commonly, anniversaries are celebrated for romantic relationships... but what about our platonic relationships?
A while ago I came across the term friendiversary, the celebration of an anniversary between friends, and I loved it! It makes perfect sense, friendships are relationships, and long-term friendships should be celebrated. Your friends are often with you longer than your romantic partners, and the good ones that you go through ups and downs with are the ones worth celebrating. Like every relationship no friendship is perfect, but growing with people is rare and something worth commemorating. Now-a-days, it's pretty common for people to drift as their lives take them in different directions, or to have party friends, or just grow apart from someone, especially with a social media generation that is always looking for the next best thing.
Discovering the, "friendiversary," couldn't have come at a more perfect time in my life. My long time friend and I recently hit a milestone in our friendship - our 25 year silver anniversary [hehe]. I remember the first day I met Connie: We were 2 years old and attended the same daycare. She was the scrawniest kid in the class [I was the chubbiest] and she had ponytails stuck in her untameable, golden hair. I think I took one look at her and thought to myself, "She definitely doesn't eat all of her snacks... I bet she will give them to me." After putting more thought into this whole friendiversary thing, I decided there should probably be a constitution around it. Some of you ladies [although you have good intentions], love to celebrate 1 month anniversaries. However, I do think you should celebrate a friendship that has had some longevity. I have had friendships of 15 years, 10 years, and 5 years, and I plan on celebrating every one!
Here is my Friendiversary constitution:
- The friendship must have lasted at least 5 years, consistently (not that you met 10 years ago and then became friends recently)
- You should have had a few arguments with the person, it's easy to get along with someone when everything is fun and happy, adversity is the true test of any relationship
- You should have been there for each other through at least 1 break up, or devastatingly sad experience (deaths)
- You should have been there for each other for at least 1 life milestone (graduation, wedding, or any other exciting time in one another's life)
- You should have phone conversations, not just texting, not just going out to the bar or for coffee - real catch up sessions, almost like checking in on one another just like you would a family member
- This person should bring out something positive in you, no frienemies here please!
- Each friendiversary should have a bigger celebration than the last. Perhaps your 5 Year is a girls night out, your 10 year can be a spa day. You get the idea. For mine and Conye's 25th, we went to England for 5 days, it was bromantic. In the true spirit of our friendship, I allowed Con to continue our dynamic of woo-ing me, she planned all the dinners and sight seeing, I sat back and enjoyed the food with her sister.
- Lastly, your friendiversary should be celebrated in 5 year increments. (If you celebrate it every year, it will become overkill. Just like when you celebrated your 2 month anniversary with your boyfriend back in high school. Completely unnecessary, ladies. We all knew that one girl who did that.)
Happy Friendiversary to all the Besties out there! 🙃
