Recording: Student essay, Friends

As  the well-known saying goes, ”No man is an island.” There is no doubt that no one can live alone. Thus choosing friends becomes  important in our lives. Not all friends are exactly the same. In my view, friends can be classified into three general categories: the positive friends, the neutral friends, and the negative friends.

By and large, the positive friends are the most beneficial to us. A positive friend is one who is always considerate of others and is willing to help his friends. He not only shares our happiness when we are happy, but he also comforts us when we feel sad. Besides, a positive friend will give us useful advice so that we can overcome difficulties in our work. He is always trying to be in his friends' shoes and is thoughtful of his friends' interests. A good example of a positive friend is my high school classmate, Linda. She always helps me when I ask her advice. Also, she takes precedence of my problems and never refuses to help me whenever I have a sticking point. A friend in need is a friend indeed. Perhaps we will have only one or two positive friends once we know each other thoroughly.

The neutral friends, on the other hand,  aren't so beneficial to us. Generally speaking, the neutral friends  aren't very willing to help us when we need them. They might be willing to share out happiness, but seldom seek ways to help us when we meet problems. Most people assume that nodding acquaintances should fall under this category of friend. My friend, Joyce, for instance, is typical of a neutral friend. Sometimes she will give me  advice when my problems have nothing to do with her. . In my opinion, the neutral friends make up the largest category.

Of the three types of friends, the negative friends are the least beneficial. These are the kinds that every one should be on the alert for. The negative friends are those who never do good for their friends. Instead of giving useful advice , the negative friends might make their friends' problems go from bad to worse because of their negative advice. What is more serious is that the negative friends will affect our thoughts and actions. If we cannot stick to our principles, we might be influenced little by little. Take David for example, he is my neighbor Jim's classmate. While he should help Jim give up some bad habits, he taught Jim how to smoke and drink. Sometimes the negative friends are harmful especially for teenagers.

A man is known by the company he keeps. Since different types of friends can affect our thoughts and actions deeply , we cannot overemphasize the importance of choosing friends.