I have two "best friends" - Cheryl and Mike, whom I've known most of my life.  I met Cheryl when I was 3 and Mike when I was 12. I have 5 "very close" friends - these are mostly sorority sisters who moved to Chicago with me after college, so we've been through a lot together! I have a handful of people I would consider "pretty good friends", and a bunch of acquaintances. I have a hard time trying to make new friends because I figure I have enough already. However, I realize that many of them are starting to move away with their husbands and start new lives somewhere else. I think the next spurt of new friends will come when I start my job in August.

Susan, 31
Chicago, IL

I don't know offhand how many I have, but I don't feel deprived. I've made a lot of friends over the past couple of years since I started working at the company I'm working at now, which has made me happy. I'm a big people person, I like to have people around me.

Nicole
Elk Grove, CA

Quite a few. I've one from when I was in first grade. And I've retained quite a few, including Jill, from college, as well as a few from each place I've lived. I'm making friends in Oregon now that I have been here for a couple of years, but retaining old friendships is important for continuity. It's worth the effort to maintain these relationships.

Jane, 60
West Linn, OR

Active Friends (or THE JUSTICE LEAGUE): 5  Friends on Sabbatical (or FORMER MEMBERS of the JL) - 30 Second Tier Friends (or SIDEKICKS of the JL)- like 50-90 because of Amy, I have met everyone in this part of the country, and some of them might become friends now that she has moved away. (I miss her muchly).

Most likely, they will see this as an opportunity to avoid me and my "sunshiney" disposition.

Anthony, 25
Baton Rouge, LA

I have about 100 social acquaintences I have with people, on a first name basis, but nobody I would really call a friend.

Socrates One
Lowell, MA

I have an inner circle of about 7 and all together who knows how many. I would say at least 31. My inner circle I would view the same as family and would not place them as friends but as blood. You can never have enough friends but I am also selective on who is  viewed as one.

Paul, 30
Lowell, MA

Seems they keep dwindling. 4-5 really close friends that I tell important heartfelt things to. About another dozen that I keep in regular contact with and share a history with. And then about 30-50 or so acquaintences / casual friends who join me in various activities or I see on occasion. There are about 6 persons whom I think about often and with whom I no longer communicate for various reasons. They hold some sort of power over me, not to be dismissed so easily.

Felicia, 34
Somerville, MA

There are about 15 people whose company I enjoy and I wouldn't mind being stuck in a lift with. But I wouldn't consider them true friends. There is only one person I know that I would consider a real friend. He makes me laugh, we have the same interests, and I can tell him anything and he can tell me anything. He knows stuff about me that could ruin me. So, really, I

Shanna, 15
Cardiff ENGLAND

Real Friends? 6 - God, Jesus, Mom, Sis, Stepdad, & Granny

Melodi, 19
Hlliard, OH

I like to think I have more friends than I probably do, but I know I have at least 3 good ones.

Jeremy, 13
Highlands Ranch, CO

I have 5 best friends: Margot, Lindy, Hillary, Emily, and Anthony.Beyond that, I have some close friends, various acquaintances, and many many more kiss-hellos. I went to the same university for 6 years: undergraduate and master's. There are few people in Baton Rouge I don't know.

Amy, 23
Baton Rouge, LA

Too many to count; too few to neglect any.

Jill, 59
Saylorsburg, PA

Some.

Karen, 20
Marshelltown/Ames, IA

Not a huge amount. I have a very close circle of friends. I used to have more, but I lost them/gave them up in a bad break up with a very long time boyfriend. It was messy somewhat like a divorce and I like to say that he got to keep the friends and the town we lived in.  I got my life back. I miss them, but I am better off without him. I tried to keep in touch for a while, but it just didn't work.

Kathy, 26
Garden City, MI

I have to say between 10-15 really close friends and then way too many acquaintances to count.

Kate, 19
Bellingham, WA

I have many, many friends. However my dearest friends are my husband and my friend Janet.

Janet and I don't remember a time when we weren't friends. We are 3 months apart in age and our childhood homes are 2 houses apart. She was my honor attendant in my wedding and I was hers. Thirty-five years later, we live 20 miles apart even though we have moved from NJ to New England.

Laura, 35
Lowell, MA

Enough.

Nikki, 27
Kirkham ENGLAND

1 too many "friends" and one too less FRIENDS

Angela, 16
SC

Only a few

Jami, 27
Lowell, MA

generally as many as I need or want at any given time. . . I am,  honestly, my own best friend and feel pretty content being all by myself for days or weeks on end. . however, I also, genuinely love most people. . . .

mothmc, 35
Los Angeles, LA

A few. I used to think I had a whole lot, but there's a difference between those who are true friends and those you HAD to hang arround with in high school. Now the ones I consider my friends, I love to pieces and would do anything for them.

Jaden, 21
Brampton, Ontario CANADA

I grew up in a 'religous minority' and moved around a lot so outside of the family all the friends I have i've known for less than five years, most less than two. As far as the different levels of friends: about 6 I could confess a murder to, 12 I could confess a bad date to and 30 who don't know my real name.

Alias Irrelevante

Very few.

Firelady, 22
Dallas, TX

Yesterday / Tomorrow