Okay, picture this: I'm cleaning out my old school notebooks (because, you know, adulting involves reliving awkward teenage phases, apparently). And BAM! Stumbled upon a drawing. Not just any drawing, mind you. It's a masterpiece of stick figures, holding hands, with a big, wobbly heart in the middle. Underneath? "Lisa & Moi - Best Friends Forever!!!" (Exclamation points were mandatory back then. Still kind of are, tbh.)
Now, Lisa and I… we haven’t spoken in, like, fifteen years. (Don't judge! Life happens. We both got into different kinds of "adulting"). But seeing that drawing? It unlocked a whole vault of feels. It got me thinking about the sheer power and intensity of those early friendships. The kind where you swore you'd be buried next to each other. The kind where you knew all the lyrics to the same cheesy pop songs (Spice Girls, anyone?). The kind that, naturally, inspired a lot of questionable artwork.
So, let’s talk about it: Dessin de Best Friends Forever! (Or, for the non-French speakers out there, "Drawings of Best Friends Forever!"). It's a whole genre, really. A subculture of friendship expressed through doodles, sketches, and sometimes, downright bizarre artistic renderings. Am I right, or am I right? You know you have one stashed away somewhere.
The Anatomy of a "BFF" Drawing
What makes a drawing a true "Best Friends Forever" masterpiece? Let’s break it down:
- Holding Hands (or Linked Arms): This is essential. Physical connection, even in stick figure form, symbolizes the bond. The stronger the grip, the stronger the friendship, obviously. Bonus points if you drew tiny gloves on the stick figures. I definitely did.
- The Heart (Usually Oversized): The bigger, the better. Sometimes it's just a simple heart. Other times, it's a heart overflowing with glitter, rainbows, or even tiny little cherubs. (Did angels even have best friends? Deep thoughts.)
- The Names: "Lisa & Moi," "Chloe + Sophie," "Sarah <3 Emily." Always with the extra letters. Always with the romantic symbols (even though you weren't, you know, romantically involved… usually). The more "unique" the spelling, the more special the friendship felt. (Remember when replacing "s" with "z" was the height of cool?)
- The Background (Optional, But Encouraged): Were you both riding unicorns? Standing under a giant tree with your initials carved in it? Flying to the moon in a rocket ship made of friendship? The background provides context, setting the scene for your epic adventures (even if those adventures mostly involved sleepovers and raiding the snack cupboard).
- Inside Jokes (Advanced Level): If you were truly dedicated to your BFF artistry, you’d include inside jokes. A drawing of that time you accidentally set off the fire alarm during cooking class? A caricature of your nemesis in math class? These are the details that truly elevate a "BFF" drawing to legendary status.
Why Were These Drawings So Important?
Okay, so they might be cringe-worthy now. But back then? These drawings were everything. Why?
- Tangible Representation: In a pre-social media world, these drawings were a way to make your friendship real and visible. It was a physical manifestation of your connection, something you could hold, share, and treasure (until your mom threw it out during spring cleaning).
- Commitment (Sealed in Crayon): Creating a "BFF" drawing was a commitment. It was a way of saying, "I'm in this for the long haul. I'm willing to spend 20 minutes painstakingly coloring in this heart with my favorite gel pen." It was a serious pledge, people!
- Creative Outlet: Let's be honest, sometimes you were just bored in class. But instead of doodling random spirals, you were channeling your artistic energy into celebrating your friendship. It was a win-win situation. (Except for maybe your teacher, who was probably trying to teach you something important… like algebra.)
- Immortalizing the Moment: Think about it. These drawings captured a specific moment in time. A snapshot of your relationship at a particular age. Looking back at them now, you can remember the inside jokes, the shared experiences, and the pure, unadulterated joy of being a kid with a best friend.
The Modern "Dessin de Best Friends Forever"
So, what does the "BFF" drawing look like in 2024? Well, it’s probably digital. Think personalized emojis, collaborative TikTok videos, or shared Pinterest boards filled with aesthetic mood boards representing your friendship.
The medium has changed, but the message remains the same: "You're my person. I value our connection. And I want the world to know it (or at least my Instagram followers)." It's still about finding a way to express that unique bond, that feeling of belonging, that sense of "us against the world."
And you know what? That's pretty cool. Even if the unicorns have been replaced by perfectly filtered selfies.
So, What Now?
I have a challenge for you! (Yes, you, reading this right now!)
- Find your old "BFF" drawings. Dig them out of the attic, the basement, or that box of embarrassing childhood memorabilia you've been meaning to throw away for years.
- Share them! (If you dare). Post them on social media with the hashtag #DessinDeBFF (because why not?). Tag your old best friend (if you can find them). Reconnect. Reminisce. Laugh at your questionable artistic choices.
- Create a new "BFF" drawing. Get together with your current best friend (or friends). Grab some art supplies (or fire up your favorite digital art app). And create a new masterpiece. Celebrate your friendship in all its modern glory.
Because even though life gets complicated, and friendships can fade, the need to express those bonds, to celebrate those connections, never really goes away. And who knows? Maybe in another fifteen years, you'll stumble upon that new drawing and unlock a whole new vault of feels. (Just try not to use too many exclamation points this time.)
And if you DO find an old one and decide to share it, I seriously want to see! Tag me! Let’s wallow in nostalgic glory together!
