Dear MTS Times, 

My best friend and his girlfriend have been together for a few months now and she has totally changed him. He spends all his time with her now and I hardly ever see him anymore. When we do finally hang out he just wants to watch music videos and talk about his relationship with her, but I find that so boring. I miss biking around the neighborhood and playing pranks on the neighbors, but he says we’re too old for that kind of stuff. We’re only 14! I think we’re too young for serious relationships!!

Sincerely, Missing My Friend

I can understand your frustration as I have been in a similar situation. What I recommend you to think about is how severe the change has been. Has he been rude to you or is telling you or is he just trying to tell you that he’s growing up? If he has been rude to you I would advise ending the friendship. The reason being is that if he changes that much just because he has gotten a girlfriend then imagine later in the future. If the only things he has been saying are that he’s too old for this and that, I would suggest continuing to be his friend. More likely than not the relationship will end between them. When that happens he will crash hard because of his actions of only wanting to hang out with her. Other people will not easily return to hanging out with him. So after he experiences that you have to be there for him and explain how he has been acting like a fool, but tell him how you’re still his friend and will help him get back up on his feet. This should hopefully teach him the lesson of trying to have a serious girlfriend in early high school (or late middle school) and also how much more important and rare great friends are.

-Sam Leon Lazo

Nothing lasts forever, and while childhood might be the best experience to go through, sometimes you need to let people figure it out for themselves. Sometimes other people don’t want to hear the truth, but would rather face a straight lie. Maybe you’re just growing apart and that’s okay. You will make new friends.

-Das’Janae Douglas