Over time I have learnt to classify people I know into three distinct categories:

• Close friends: Childhood friends or a core group of friends from school/college. Low maintenance so we could catch up anytime and resume like we never separated. Or someone I can talk to about any random shit that’s happening.
• Friendly acquaintances: Mutual friends or classmates I enjoy talking to in class but never out of it. We have our own core set of friends that do not overlap. Potential to be friends but we would have to go out of our way to water the friendship.
• Acquaintances: Hostel mates or roommate or classmates. People who I can talk to for a while but we don’t have much in common to be friends.