Friendships, relationships don’t always have to be like Rachel and Ross

It’s the inevitable topic that people can’t help but debate: can guys and girls be just friends?

It’s an idea that has been presented through many movies, TV shows and songs that opposite sexes cannot be just friends.

Rachel and Ross from the show “Friends” end up falling for each other, Ryan Reynolds and Amy Smart end up together in the movie “Just Friends” and countless other examples all try and prove that relationships start as friendships.

“I don’t understand why some people can’t be just friends. I don’t really get it, sex shouldn’t matter,” junior Michael Rae said.

The Midland native said he has plenty of girl friends that have never came across to him as more than friends.

This has been a common theme for many students. Having friends from the opposite sex is something that senior Taylor Hammerl has personally really enjoyed.

“A lot of my best and closest friends are guys,” Hammerl said. “We’ve grown up together and seen each other in the best and worst of times.”

The Lake Orion native said she has friends of the opposite sex and they stay in the friend zone because they know too much about each other to even consider a relationship.

This portrayal of knowing someone in movies and TV shows gives people the idea that they should be falling for a friend because they are more understanding of you.

“I think the media gives that hope a friendship can turn into something else, but it doesn’t have to be that way,” senior Scott Mattingly said.

Hammerl said she feels that the media has a tendency to sexualize female and male relations in nearly any situation.

“The media shows that friendships always turn into relationships but it is not impossible to have an opposite sex friend,” Hammerl said.

Mattingly said he knows when he wants to be with friends with someone right away.

“There’s an instant attraction there that doesn’t happen when you’re just friends,” the Hartville, Ohio native said.

Rae said he meets his female friends in church groups, classes and shared music interests.

“When you have things you both like it is easy to be friends and you are just friends so you can offer each other advice. Plus, when it is opposite sex they can give a different insight,” Hammerl said.

Hammerl said it can be fate for friends to turn into more than a friendship but it doesn’t have to always be that way.