Urban dictionary likes to define the Friend-zone as “the worst position someone can be in, if they have feelings for someone. When a person develops romantic feelings for someone, but the other person only sees the relationship as just being friends.” Most people would define it as the place where egos die. But what is the logic behind the Friend Zone? What is the reason for its creation and once it is set, can it be broken out of? Mainly associated with boys, the Friend Zone stands as a symbol for the mental prison created for those people we spend a lot of time with but would never want to date. Usually, the Friend Zone is painful for the boys who have been trying to get the girl – walking her to class, eating lunch with her, escorting her to the “toiletry section” in the store – but do not realize that she is completely disinterested in him the way he is interested in her. The sudden realization often comes along with the phrases, “You’re my best friend,” and my personal favorite, “You’re like a brother to me.” The Friend Zone was not created with the intent of hurting anyone’s feelings. Girls simply referred to boys as their friends because they genuinely believed that there was a mutual understanding that all the time spent together was not with the expectation of a relationship at the end of the line. In a lot of friendships, someone was either zoned to begin with or was slowly zoned over time and eventually became okay with it. The best is when two people can mutually zone each other and no egos are bruised as a result. Trust society to make this small thing a trend. MTV went as far as starting a TV Show! “Friend Zone” has become a worldly recognized phrase as well. Memes are created weekly mocking the hardships faced in the Friend Zone and we all shout it out to the friends we know (often to their dismay). Escaping the Friend Zone is nearly impossible. Even Jacob Black from Twilight couldn’t escape it and we’ve all seen his muscles. But that’s not to say that it cannot happen. However, it requires a lot of patience, effort and the base idea that he/she who Friend-zoned the other first was not entirely sure of its meaning or implications. Truth be told, only very few have been able to escape it most of them were never really in the zone to begin with – they only thought that they were. But if you know of anyone who has escaped the Friend Zone, give them a round of applause because it is certainly no easy feat. As the Friend Zone continues to be a popular trend sweeping the globe, I would like to extend my deepest apologies to anyone who was zoned against their will. Rather than taking it as a blow to your ego, realize that you can create a strong bond with someone which will last longer than a relationship with them would. Let your friends make as much fun of you as they want to because he who laughs last laughs the loudest (or is the slowest…you know yourself better than I do).
ALAians Media 