Every American, at one point or another in his/her life has begrudgingly heard the phrase, “you are who your friends are.” Whether it came from an nice teacher, a concerned parent, or a touching Lifetime movie, you probably rolled your eyes when you heard it for the first time. I mean, it sounds absurd because, clearly, you are YOU and you are not your best friend, the one who is a “bad” influence.

Of course, this “bad” influence was not always this way.

As you got older though, you passed through the elementary school phase where everyone is “friends” and you begin noticing that people began hanging out in groups. In high school, groups are usually pretty open and you easily make friends with all different types of people; but it’s your closest friends that rub off on you the most.

As you spend more time with friends you may even notice that you use the same slang terms and have some of the same mannerisms, but that’s harmless, right?

Most of us have that one friend in particular that your parents don’t like that much. She’s a bit extreme; maybe you recognize her as a poor influence. You don’t want to be on the path she is on, but you love him/her despite her poor choices and hang out with her all the time.

So what is one to do about her “bad influence” friend? Some would say that it is necessary to cut the person out of your life completely; life is short and you shouldn’t spend it with people who bring you down or inhibit you from reaching your full potential. Others would say that if you can’t be around a person without acting like them then you should move on.

They say that Iron sharpens iron, but what happens to iron when they are around a weaker metal like mercury?

The best way to deal with a bad influence friend is to first, recognize that she is are not living the kind of life you want to live in. Next, you must identify your own personal situation right now: if you are overcoming an addiction or a bad habit it is necessary to distance yourself from the friends of yours who still partake in said habit, this is the only way you will be able to overcome it and move on with your life. Make good choices.