BY ISHITA ROY

 “I’ve never been one of those girls who had a lot of friends who were girls. And I do now. And that’s pretty cool.” -Pitch Perfect

As I grew old, I realized the importance of women in my life. As kids, we are told to stop acting like girls, because girls are not cool. They gossip. They are not strong. But as I grew up, I realized these are all lies.

Everyone loves some hot gossip. Even the boys.

As a kid, I was asked to stay away from drama like the other girls. “Do not watch daily-soaps!” But don’t men love drama too? I learned that WWE is all scripted. Yes, it involves lots of fighting, but at the end of the day, it is drama. And men seem to love that!

So why demonize women for the things that literally every single person does.

Not going to lie, I also believed in all that. Started to distance myself from most of the girls. And it was not until in junior high, when I went to an all-girls’ school. It was a cultural shock in the beginning, but now that I look back at it, I do not have anything to regret. 

Power House

The more I started to surround myself with women, the more I realized how powerful female friendships are. 

In school, I was Monica and I happened to find my Phoebe and Rachel. In college, I was Sutton with Kat and Jane always by my side! Lucky enough, I even found my Jaqueline Carlyle.

Female friendships are the source of constant support. They are like a Power House! They will be there for you no matter what.

Hype Up Gang

Trust me when I say this. Your girls will always hype you up! 

I found my girl gang in junior high and I was afraid that once we move on to college, our friendship won’t stay the same. And to an extent, college did change a lot of things between us. We could not meet as frequently as we used to. We do not always have a chat. But if one of us feels a little blue. All we need to do is send a text and next thing you know. You have got your girls to hype you up!

Went through a breakup? It is a date with your girls.

PMSing? Or just having a bad day to get through? Ice Cream is at your door while your girls in the group call!

Got Your Back

I have had my share of bad decisions. And I am sure, we all did. But that never stopped me from taking risks. Because I have a constant support system, my girls!

I mean what is better than falling and knowing that if you don’t land well, your girls will catch you!

In college, I came across many powerful women. And I was fortunate enough to be friends with them. My friend once said, “[women] are so resilient!…[women] extend help are so precious…women sharing their experiences…women taking care of other women…this strength is infectious,” and I agree.  Every woman has her own battle to fight. But she will still support you and always have your back!

The most beautiful part about having a girl gang is that you can be vulnerable together and derive strength from that vulnerability. Your girl gang will teach you to embrace yourself even when you are at your worst. That’s what having your back really means!

Dropping Truth Bombs

I always enjoy spending time with my girls. We can dance, party, rant, cry and be brutally honest to each other. My girls are not shy to tell me when I am wrong. I may miss the red flags, but they won’t!

And this is exactly why you need a girl gang! The pills may be hard to swallow, but it will be better for the long run. And easier with your girls by your side!