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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask how many friends you’ve got

166 replies

Tellmelies65 · 25/12/2020 19:57

I’ve got one friend that I could tell everything to. A childhood friend. A few others but definitely still under ten in total. I’m in my late 40’s.

OP posts:
ilikebooksandplants · 25/12/2020 20:34

I’ve got loads. All over the world. I’m an excellent pen pal though, and I’ve travelled a lot.

Bookriddle · 25/12/2020 20:35

Just the 1 close friend, i wish i had more, feel very lonely at times! Would love someone to ring me up and ask if i want to go to the pub! Because of the lack of a social life, i find i chat to people at work more than i should and cant seem to kerp private things private

Sosigsandwich · 25/12/2020 20:36

3 really close work friends (spend a lot time together outside of work with our husbands), 3 old school friends (30+ years) and a close group of (5 other) couples where our husbands grew up together. 10 of them I would ring and know they would drop everything.

ShinyGreenElephant · 25/12/2020 20:37

I invited 9 girls to my last baby shower (excluding family) but only 3 of them I would class as best friends, as in you would call them at 3am if you needed to, or ask them to lend you a 5er and not feel embarrassed, and they know your deepest feelings and secrets. The others I love, I care about, I have fun with and spend time with fairly frequently pre covid, but if they moved to the other side of the world it wouldn't break my heart, I'd just wish them well and miss them sometimes.

Oh I also have a male best friend and hes somewhere between the two categories - I dont tell him my deepest feelings because he wouldn't understand them but I've called him at 4am in a crisis and he came round with vodka. Vodka was definitely not the correct answer to the crisis but he was there and that's the main thing

hopeishere · 25/12/2020 20:39

My sister
A friend on America
Two others
Bookgroup friends
School mum friends

Lililou · 25/12/2020 20:39

I would say 3, the rest are more acquaintances now. We've grown apart and they mostly do my head in 😂

Merryoldgoat · 25/12/2020 20:39

Hmmmm.

3/4 that I’d spend time with one on one.

A group of 9 through a hobby and we’ve become a close group and have been masses of support for each other through covid.

About another 10 in a casual way.

ofwarren · 25/12/2020 20:40

None. I'm 41.

FangsForTheMemory · 25/12/2020 20:42

3 I could rely on in a pinch.

foofooyeah · 25/12/2020 20:42

I have a small group of close friends, around 6. Then I have a few more I socialise with, then passing acquaintances who I speak to when I am out eg the gym or in the village.

It’s probably fine, but I do remember last year fancying going out for a casual drink, and not being able to think who I could ask locally, as my best local friend was away.

BakedTattie · 25/12/2020 20:42

I’m mid thirties and have lots of friends. I find it easy to chat to people and make friends.

CrazyToast · 25/12/2020 20:45

One, possibly two very best friends I could turn to. About seven decent friends I chat to most days but I wouldn't rely on them for much. Handful of acquaintences.

BeBraveAndBeKind · 25/12/2020 20:47

I'm 45 and have 10-15 that I see socially. 5 of those I could call on. 1 best friend of 30 years. He knows pretty much everything about me and I could rely on him entirely.

Nonononon · 25/12/2020 20:51

3 of which are quite new but we're very close. I think the chaos of this year has made it easier to open up and show our vulnerable sides which has made us closer.
The other two are life long friends but we can sometimes go months without speaking, always picks up from where we left off though.
I'm mid 30s.

SweetPetrichor · 25/12/2020 20:55

1 good friend but he lives in America now. Still talk most days though.

Katjolo · 25/12/2020 20:58

10 ish

Tootsey11 · 25/12/2020 21:00

None

ChasingRainbows19 · 25/12/2020 21:01

I have 4/5 very close friends that I’ve had for years.. Probably a few more that aren’t so close but lovely all the same. I don’t need hoards of friends. I’m very happy with the people in my life.

Ohhgreat · 25/12/2020 21:03

Two who would drop everything if I needed them. One ive known for a decade, the other 3 years ish
I also have another friend from uni and a couple from work, who are friends but not as close.

Mousehole10 · 25/12/2020 21:03

Early 30s, I've got 8 very close friends, and about 10 others I would count as friends. Quite a few others who are in my friends circles but I wouldn't really class as my actual friends.

Covidrelapse · 25/12/2020 21:03

4/5 really close friends. Others who
I go out with/text but am still a bit self-censored around - Maybe 10-15 of these?

PontiacBandit · 25/12/2020 21:03

1 that would be there no matter what, I love her to death. We are complete opposites but it works so well. I have lots of acquaintances that I've lost close contact with since having kids.

janetmendoza · 25/12/2020 21:04

Probably 10 that I would go out with one on one, but for the most part they don't know each other. So no large group of friends. And even the closest of them I might only see monthly. Also sils, mum and cousins etc. I could never keep up with more though. I don't want to be out more than once a week with friends

Levirandal · 25/12/2020 21:04

Not really any. How have people met friends? I’m nice and normal I think. I’ve ended up isolated as we have children with special needs and I’m finding it really lonely.

MispyM · 25/12/2020 21:06

Depends on how you define friend, I guess.

My DH and 2 super close friends. One I've known since first grade.

Some not that close but still very very dear friends.

And then friends from school, some from a society I joined when I was in uni... That kind of stuff. But they're definitely not just acquaintances.

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