There’s something incredibly relaxing about being friends with a guy you’re not even remotely attracted to. He may be a friend you’ve known since grade school, or just a guy you immediately clicked with.
But instead of going down the dating route, you realize that you’re both actually enjoying just being really good friends.
Having a guy best friend may be something a lot of people don’t believe in. Tons of people often think that two people of the opposite sex will inevitably be attracted to each other.
But that’s because they have no idea about the unique perks you get when your best friend just happens to be a dude.
# They’re expert text decoders
Women often try to interpret the seemingly straightforward but possibly subtly cryptic texts they get from guys. Why isn’t there a smiley face? Why did he say “hey there” instead of just “hi” ? Why did he take three hours to respond to your text? Your girlfriends can be speculating about all sorts of scenarios and hidden meanings behind these texts.
With guys, on the other hand, one look is often all it takes. The reason behind this is simple: most guys have a very similar texting style. Chances are, a guy best friend would know right off the bat if the text is just a straightforward response or a subtly veiled invitation to something more.
# They can interpret mixed signals from guysIt’s most often a guy that would tell you that if he leaves room for doubt if he’s into you or not, he probably isn’t into you. He’ll tell it as it is without trying to sugarcoat it just to keep from hurting your feelings.
It’s this bluntness in the way that guys say things that would make you want to have a guy around to just tell you the honest *and oftentimes brutal* truth.
# He can give you an idea of what guys do when they’re not out on a date with youWhen you’re wondering what your guy is up to, your mind can just go crazy with the possibilities. And if you’re particularly paranoid, you might start believing that he’s hanging out with another girl when he’s not replying to your texts.
A guy best friend can calm you down by saying, with full confidence, that he’s probably just playing Grand Theft Auto 5 for the third hour today. You may be incredulous, but when you learn from your guy best friend that this is actually something that he does, then you’re more likely to believe it by seeing it.
# He can explain why some guys are into certain thingsYou may think that things like sports, MMA, video games and other typically guy hobbies are boring. You’d probably wonder why guys go berserk whenever a bunch of guys fight it out in a giant cage in front of millions of people. In comes your guy best friend who can patiently explain why so many other guys are into this sort of thing.
Aside from explaining these typical hobbies to you, he can also educate you about the basics of what’s going on. For instance, you’re crushing on a guy who’s obsessed with the NBA, but you have no clue who’s who and what’s what.
Ask your guy friend, and he can explain the fundamentals to you without having to try and dumb it down. Armed with your newfound knowledge on the NBA, you can have a little more confidence in starting a conversation with your crush.
# There’s minimal dramaWhen was the last time you hung out with a bunch of guys and ended up debating over whether one of them should break up with his girlfriend? Probably never. The thing with guys is that when they have a problem, they usually just try to handle it on their own. Failing that, they ask for advice and other guys just give them super simple tips on how to go about solving it.
For example, a guy is worried that his girlfriend might be cheating on him. He asks his buddies for help. His buddies would probably say something along the lines of, “You got proof? No? You’re probably paranoid.” And that’s that. There’s no talk of reading the signs or subtle ways she might be hiding it.
# They tell it like it is
If you ask your girl friends how you look while trying on outfits, they can be pretty creative with their compliments. And if they don’t like what you tried on, they will almost always say it in a positive tone like, “Maybe you should try something less hip-hugging?” or “I think it’s the print that’s making you look wider.”
Ask a guy how you look, and he’ll just outright say what’s on his mind. He won’t be afraid to say that something is too short, too tight, too loose or too loud. He may not be an expert when it comes to cuts and fabrics, but he’ll tell it to you straight when something looks downright ugly!
# You can eat anything when you’re with them
In a group of girl friends, ordering a steak while one of them is on a diet will get you the side eye. Sometimes, you may be too shy to order a ton of food if your friends are just having a light lunch. But with guys and their huge appetites, your puny regular meal will look like a snack compared to what they’ll be getting!