Everything went wrong today. You were late to your nine o’clock class, saw your ex-situationship talking to another girl and finally got your exam grade back (which you, in fact, did not pass.) It’s time to call up your best friend and indulge in the biggest rant known to mankind.
Only once she picks up, she immediately cuts you off: “This is what you should do. This is what you should feel. This is how you should’ve handled it.” The list seems to go on and on and on. Who wants to hear all of that at the end of a horrible, stressful day?
The Art of Ranting
Ranting is defined as, “speaking at length in an angry and impassioned way.” It’s one of VALLEY’s favorite pastime activities. You could rant to anyone — your parent, your partner, your sibling. There are plenty of different people to rant to, but nothing compares to ranting to your best friends.
As your friend sits patiently, nodding along with your frustration, you can’t help but feel infinitely better afterward. The reaffirming comments your friend offers are the equivalent to a pat on the back, no other words are needed.
Angel on Your Shoulder
There are two types of friends in this world: the devil and the angel on your shoulder. Both look out for you but in very, very different ways.
Enter the angel on your shoulder. She’s thoughtful, kind and considerate. There may or may not be a tiny halo hovering above her head at all times. She is known to be wise, constantly offering you advice on anything you might rant about.
She’s the one that instantly jumps down your throat about the bad choices you made the night before. She is the one who told you that you should have studied more for your exam. She reminded you of the horrible things your ex-situationship put you through.
Who asked her to act as the little angel on your shoulder given every decision you make in life?
Holding It In
As much as you love the angel on your shoulder, sometimes hearing about your every flaw with your life choices isn’t exactly a confidence boost. You might feel discouraged with your decisions moving forward, subconsciously thinking they won’t “approve” of it. Slowly but surely, you might hold back on updating them on your life.
Feeling like you desperately need to hold in your feelings, especially from your own friends, is exhausting. It’s almost impossible for humans to hold anything in. Avoiding the sneaky-link confession, tip-toeing around the “F” on your recent exam, ignoring their constant line of questioning: it’s draining.
A Big Reminder
Communication is key in good friendships. If your friend is making you feel insecure about your life choices, it’s time to put your foot down. Tell them how you feel. Rant to them about them. If they were a good friend, they wouldn’t get defensive or upset.
Friends should help you get it out, not hold it in. Friends hold your hair back while you puke. They wipe your tears and pull you into a tight embrace when you most need it. A good friend would never hesitate to call an Uber home or order Raising Cane’s when the time calls for it.
No good friend would ever get mad at you for making the wrong choice; they would get mad at you for not telling them about it.
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