This can help if:

you’re not sure about a friendship

you don’t know what to do or say to a friend

you want to figure out what a good friend is and how to be one.

Boy and girl dancing at gig

Why good friends are so important

Research has shown that the better the quality of your relationships, the more likely you are to be happy. So, being a great friend to someone and having friends support your back is good for your wellbeing. But what, exactly, makes a good friend?

Signs of a good friend

Friends will come and go in your life, but more important than how long your friendships last is your friends’ acceptance of you for who you are. A good friend walks the talk and shows that they care by their actions – big and small.

 

A good friend:

is there for you, no matter what

doesn’t judge you

doesn’t put you down or deliberately hurt your feelings

is kind and respectful to you

is someone whose company you enjoy

is loyal

is trustworthy and willing to tell you the truth, even when it’s hard for you to hear

laughs with you

sticks around when things get tough

makes you smile

is there to listen

comforts you when you cry.

good friend

How to be a good friend

If you treat the people around you in the ways described above, then you’re already a good friend to them. But it’s not always easy to know how to be there for your friends.

Listen to them

Try to understand a situation from your friend’s point of view. Ask questions to get a sense of the problem or issue, but the main thing is to listen to them. You don’t have to have all the answers, and don’t assume that your friend wants advice – they might just want to talk so that they can work it out for themselves.

Get the facts

If your friend has a medical or mental health issue, a good way to offer support is to learn about what they’ve been diagnosed with. Being interested in what they’re going through shows you care, and that you plan to stick around no matter what’s going on.

Ask them what they need

If you’re worried about someone and you want to be there for them, ask them what they need. You’ll then know what they find helpful during tough times, and you can offer them support in a way that’s genuinely helpful.

Get physical

Hugging your friends is a great way to show you care for them. Physical contact can be really comforting, especially when someone feels alone.

 

Keep in touch

Even if you don’t live nearby, show your friends you’re there for them by making an effort to keep in regular touch through social media, emails, texts and calls.

Tell them how you feel

You don’t have to make a big deal about it all the time, but you can make a real difference to how someone is feeling just by letting them know how important they are to you. So, go for it!

Be willing to make a tough call

If you think your friend’s safety is at risk, you might need to act without their consent and get help. It can be a tough call, particularly when you’re worried how they’ll react, but remember that good friends care enough to step up, and that you’re doing it to protect them from harm.

What can I do now?

Get tips on being a good listener.

Ask your friends what you can do to help them.

Find out what to do about a toxic friendship.

https://au.reachout.com/articles/what-makes-a-good-friend

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•to boot up: to start a computer

•to browse websites: to look at websites

•a computer buff: an expert computer user

•to crash: to suddenly stop working

•to cut and paste: to move text or images from one place in a document to another place

•a desktop PC: a computer that isn’t portable and remains in situ on a desk

•digital editing: to edit digital materials like audio or video files

•download (podcasts): to save a copy of a file from the internet to your own device

•to enter a web address: to type the address of a website into the address bar of your browser

•a gadget: a technological tool like a mobile phone or camera
•to go online: to start using the Internet

•high-spec (laptop): powerful computer with top quality components

•Internet security: Internet safety

•intranet: a network of connected computers within an organisation that is not accessible by unauthorised visitors

•to navigate a website: to find your way around a website

•operating system: the software that tells the computer how to work

•send an attachment: send an email with an accompanying file

•social media: media used to interact with other people such as Facebook or Twitter

•to surf the web: to look at a series of websites one after the other

•a techie: somebody who has an interest in technology

•to upgrade: to obtain a more powerful or feature-rich computer or piece of software

•video conferencing: to see and hear people from different locations using the Internet

•wireless hotspot: a public place where you can access the Internet

•wireless network: a network where users can access the Internet without the use of fixed cables

•word processing; producing written texts on a computer