THE B-SIDE

Illustration of a sketchbook spread featuring Polaroids of friends posing together. On top of the page sits a heart necklace split in half that reads “Best Friends B-Side”

Platonic love is one of the most beautiful and fulfilling things we can experience. Often, our friends know us better than we know ourselves. They dedicate themselves to navigating the ins and outs of our psyches until they are experts in the topic of who we are — our likes and dislikes, our hates and loves, what makes us tick. When it comes to my friends, I’m like the wife who can predict what her husband will want to eat for dinner: I can sense what they’re feeling from a mile away and care for them more deeply than I could ever express. My friends and I make each other laugh until our stomachs cramp, lean on each other for emotional support and end all of our phone calls with a signed and sealed “I love you.”

Given how deeply rooted our connections with our best friends are, it’s not surprising that they are also abundant in the art we consume. It’s in the movie you watched last week, where the protagonist’s best friend cheered her on through every bad day and flawed decision. It’s in the song you listened to today, with lyrics that made you think of that one car ride with your best friend. It’s in the book you finished the other day that left you wistful and teary-eyed, more thankful than ever for the best friends you have in your life. Friendship in media takes on many different forms, but these relationships — the “best friends” of the media we consume — are essential to the fabric of the art we love. Hence, I introduce to you the Best Friend B-Side. These 15 brave and talented writers took a deep dive into the mechanisms of friendship and art, analyzing platonic love in, outside and because of the media we love. 

I hope you enjoy their words as much as I do. 

Senior Arts Editor Rebecca Smith can be reached at rebash@umich.edu.

Illustration of a Polaroid featuring characters from a Dungeons & Dragons campaign attacking the Dungeon Master; surrounding the Polaroid are D20 dice and various tables for playing the game
Dungeons and Dragons and the magic of friendship
Lin Yang Illustration of a Polaroid featuring the March Sisters, surrounded with pink satin bows and yellowed tape
Why is the best book about sisters as best friends so old?
Grace Sielinski Illustration of a polaroid of two friends laughing with coffee cups in their hands. Around the polaroid are a receipt and spoon
You should be a little in love with your friends
Mina Tobya Illustration of a polaroid featuring a girl smiling and reading a book, surrounded by other female friends.
A media-oriented letter to platonic love
Graciela Batlle Cestero Illustration of a Polaroid of two girls watching a fight scene from the movie Bridget Jones' Diary. Around it are other photos
Why is Bridget Jones good enough to forge a friendship?
Erin Evans and Laine Brotherton Illustration of a Polaroid of a scene from the movie Ferris Bueller featuring the character Cameron looking at a painting in a museum. Around the Polaroid are stationary and car keys.
‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off’ is about saving a friend, not skipping school
Serena Irani Illustration of a Polaroid of the YouTubers Dan and Phil with cat whiskers drawn on their faces. Around the Polaroid are stationary and a heart locket.
Dan and Phil: ‘Like actual soulmates’
Campbell Johns Illustration of a polaroid of a girl and her sister as kids. Around the polaroid are a flower, letter, and piece of candy
Sisterhood is the greatest friendship I’ve ever known
Sarah Patterson Illustration of a Polaroid featuring a mother-daughter duo from the movie Joy Luck Club surrounded by mahjong tiles on a table
I fought with my mom again: But it’s different now
Michelle Wu Illustration of a polaroid showing the laps of two people at a movie theater with popcorn.
Movies are the lifeline between me and my best friend
Cora Rolfes Illustration of a polaroid of two girls standing on a map and pointing to a part labeled Ann Arbor. Around the polaroid are scattered papers.
Luisa and Ceci’s excellent A2 adventure
Cecilia Ledezma Illustration of a polaroid of three girls hugging with a silver string tied around them. Around the Polaroid are other photos.
‘invisible string’: The soundtrack to my best friendships
Olivia Tarling Illustration of a polaroid of the cover of the book "East to Eden" only the silhouette is instead of two girls hugging each other. Around the Polaroid are fallen leaves.
Friendship is found East of Ann Arbor
Claire Rock and Kathryn Hemmila