We all remember having that one Best Friend Forever (BFF) when growing up in the ’90s—someone we’d have late-night phone calls with, gossip about how strict our parents were, and even coordinate outfits together. When comparing best friends in the ’90s to today, a lot has changed, but some fundamentals stay the same: we still spend late nights on the phone with our BFFs and gossip with them. We also coordinate outfits but pretend it was a total accident. Honestly, things aren’t that different; we’re just older and drink more wine.
1. The Fights We Get Into
In the ’90s: Your BFF totally promised to take care of your digital pet while you were on vacation, and then she let it die. You couldn’t look at her the same way afterward.
2. How We Make Up Afterward
In the ’90s: This was the pre-smartphone era, so getting through a fight with your BFF often involved passing a note in class, filled with frown faces, dotting the i’s with hearts so she knew how sad you were without her, and ending it with “LYLAS” — “love you like a sis,” for those who forgot.
In the ’90s: We’d go to the mall and buy fake nose rings from Claire’s, just before sneaking into an R-rated movie. We were such rebels.
4. Playing Wingwoman
In the ’90s: After deciding who the love of your life was using the almighty cootie catcher, you’d stage a run-in during science class while your BFF kept other girls away.
Today: Every BFF knows the way to help you find lasting love is by spending 14 hours searching for him on Facebook with nothing but his middle name.
5. Squad Goals
In the ’90s: Life was all about finding a few more girls as cool as you so you could pretend to be the Spice Girls.
Now: The good news is you only need one more person to do the Single Ladies dance, but you’re not much of a people person these days, so your BFF is more than enough.