I'VE MADE a lot of friends in the last few years. Some of them I thought were good friends who'd last a lifetime; but they proved untrue in the long run.

Everyone wants to be accepted; we seem to have made it a basic necessity of human existence. It is therefore, no wonder that some of us will go the extra mile to gain that acceptance.

The problem is that far too often we find ourselves wanting to blend in with the wrong crowd simply because they are popular and seem like good friends. Sadly, it isn't until it is too late that we realise our mistakes.

Outlook Youth realises the importance of choosing good friends, but if you've made mistakes in the past where that is concerned, remember it's not the end of the world. Let that experience be your teacher. But talk to others you can trust and compare notes.

If you haven't as yet made that almost inevitable mistake then before jumping into the crowd, the wrong crowd, you too should be talking to persons - your peers, counsellors and other professionals - about choosing the right friend.

You may just find helpful, what the persons below have to say on the subject:

QUALITIES OF A GOOD FRIEND