Making Friends With The Opposite Sex

By Daily Graphic

Young people can always have platonic relationships with their counterparts of the opposite sex as long as they decide to make it so, even though some people believe otherwise.


It is when a relationship shifts from staying platonic to intimacy that problems arise.


A platonic relationship is one in which people of the opposite sex accept to enjoy a non-sexual relationship. With this, they come together to agree that though there could be sexual relationships, they will choose not to make it so.


Even though many young people find it difficult to believe that platonic relationships do exist, they truly do.


It is important that as a young person you establish friendship with your counterparts of the opposite sex. With that, you learn many things from each other and begin to understand why certain people behave the way they do at certain times. This will guide you to know how to handle situations involving the opposite sex.


For many young people, friendship with people of the opposite sex could easily transform itself from its main objective of, say, helping each other in a particular subject in school, to other negative motives. It is important, therefore, that when you decide to make friends with people of the opposite sex, you do not choose one particular friend to be your favourite but treat all friends equally.


You should also know that it is important you attach respect to each other's views. For instance, if one person decides that you stay as study partners, you must respect that view and treat it with respect.


If you are male, bear it in mind that your female friends may not like certain attitudes, such as mocking or insulting other girls in their presence, generalising all girls in negative issues, among other things.


If you are a girl, note that a boy may feel uncomfortable discussing issues such as menstrual matters, calling other boys names, among other things.


If you really want to make your friendship work, do not let external forces influence you. That is to say that people may mistake your friendship to be a sexual one. But don't start any sexual relationship because people think that is what you are engaged in.


Whatever the situation may be, you must enjoy your relationship with others and not allow others to affect you.