As the years pass, more and more teens, especially girls, are realizing that the friends they once called their truest friends can no longer be depended upon. Many teens can count on one hand the number of the same friends they’ve had all their life. It seems the older teens get, the harder it is to find friends who will stick by through thick and thin. Because of differences in interests or loyalty, mature friendships are sometimes hard to come by.

"I believe that these days it is very difficult to find good friends. The reason is because people have changed and nowadays kids don’t watch out for each other as much as for themselves. I’m not saying all people are like this, I’m just saying that it is more difficult than it used to be to find those who won’t stab you in the back or break your heart."-Mallory

"It’s hard to find true friends nowadays because you never know how people might be. You have to know their personality before you can call anyone your friend. Most girls/boys talk too much and can never hold anything in at all and that’s not what a friend is. Another reason that makes it hard is because if you see another person losing their close friends over dumb reasons, some people take that to the heart and think it could happen to them."-Charmel

"What is the meaning of a true friend? The definition of a true friend is someone who is always there for you when you are in trouble. In some cases your so-called friends leave you when you’re in danger or in deep trouble. Their reason for leaving you behind is because they don’t want to get involved in your situation because it could put them in danger. A true friend would stick by your side no matter what the circumstances."-Darnell

"I think it can be very difficult, mainly because most people are worried about themselves and not each other. Especially in high school, many teens get caught up in gossip, rumors, and other drama, which can cause them to lose some friendships. So if you’re lucky enough to have real friends, make sure you do what it takes to keep them."-Veronica

"I can’t find no true friends in Elk Grove. In Elk Grove, everyone is fake. Mostly everybody out here is two-faced. My definition of a friend is someone you can depend on, someone you know is not talking mess, someone that has your back and they have to be trustworthy. Trustworthy as in if you leave your girlfriend with him, he won’t try and do anything stupid."-Michael