Guys and Girls as Just Friends: How to Make it Possible
November 20, 2011 by JessicaF
Filed under Central Michigan University, CL Daily, CL ExCLusives!, CL on your Campus, Dating and Relationships, Etiquette
It’s the inevitable debate that has been going on for generations: can guys and girls really be just friends?
According to Harry Burns, the answer is no.
“Because no man can be friends with a woman that he finds attractive. He always wants to have sex with her.”
Although this infamous quote from “When Harry Met Sally” may say that it is impossible to be friends with a guy, I disagree- to an extent.
My best friend is a guy. He is my rock. And no, I do not “like like” him. He knows me better than I know myself and is there when I need a good laugh. But I know it’s not just because he thinks I’m hot. Although, this is only possible because of the platform our friendship is based off of. We can both spill our hearts about other people and not get overly jealous or protective about it.
Some people find themselves teeter tottering between being friends and FWB. The difference is huge. Guys may tell you that you’re just a friend and secretly want to date you, but you can’t question every motive. What you can do is make sure you keep yourself in check and keep a relationship strictly friends if that’s what you want.
Try following this compiled list my boy BFF and I made to make sense of what may or may not be a “more than friends relationship.”
1) Be gross.
Yep- don’t be shy! It may sound weird to be all-out “boyish” but nothing is more unattractive than a girl letting one go and it being A-OK. But please, keep it classy!
2) Establish your boundaries. 
Being honest with each other is key to any relationship, romantic or not. Knowing that you’re friends, just friends and it’s not
going to change overnight, is essential. Never, I repeat, never start a just friends relationship after hooking up. It’s impossible.
3) Don’t treat each other like boyfriend/girlfriend.
Look at each other as individuals, not a guy or a girl. Your best guy friend isn’t your stand-in boyfriend until you find “the one.” So don’t do things that may seem or end up couple-ly.
4) Keep flirting to a minimum.
My friend and I can joke all day about things that would be considered flirting. But to us- it’s a joke. And we’re not doing it in front of a crowd of friends. Again, establishing you are just friends can give you the clear to be as weird and obnoxious as possible without being awkward.
5) Give each other relationship advice.
There’s no better way to dig into a guy’s brain than talking to a guy himself. When I go into girl overdrive mode and dissect every word in a text from a crush, I have my friend to tell me what “you should text me” really means.
To sum things up- be honest with each other and don’t hold back. If you find yourself feeling a little something more than what’s considered friends, then speak up. Don’t wait to really tell how you feel until you’re at a party seeing your friend hookup with another girl.
Friend or boyfriend, we all know guys can be great regardless!
Jessica Fecteau is a fashion, etiquette and apartment/dorm life writing intern and is a sophomore at Central Michigan University. Jessica loves fashion magazines, traveling to big cities and watching chick flicks with her roommates.
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