Are they Sinkers, Floaters or Rockets?
Not to compare your friends to turd terminology, but ever wonder if your friends are an exact replica of the crowd from the classic comedy Mean Girls? Are you stuck with pals who make you feel like a loser or are they your favourite Friday night party people? Here’s how to determine if your friends are Sinkers, Floaters or Rockets!
Friends, Type #1: SINKERS
According to teen advisor Kevin Cochran, sinkers make up about 20 per cent of your group of friends. They are the ones who will sink you. “When you have a conversation with these friends, they drain you out. All they do is complain about family and other friends. All you want to do is tell them to shut up.” But Kevin isn’t shutting up about this topic. Instead, he has spoken to 700 students at over 50 high schools about friendship success.
He says you will not be successful if you’re too caught up in the short-term rewards and not thinking about the future. You should not let who has the best cell phones or the coolest clothes determine your friends, “Teens are getting guidance through advertising. If you don’t have the right shoes, you’re a loser.” Kevin says that instead of encouraging you to be better and do better, these are the friends who are always criticizing you.
Friends, Type #2: FLOATERS
You have to learn how to standup for yourself first. Kevin says that instead of only hanging around friends, who always criticize you, you should look for friends who will support and inspire. Kevin suggests you should make more friends who float and rocket you. The friends who float you are the ones you hang out with on a Friday night at the movies. Even though you don’t learn much from them, they are still your closest group of friends who you depend on during tough times. They are dependable people who can keep a secret. These are the friends you want to spend your weekend with. They may not be a large group of friends but these are the ones keeping it real.
Friends, Type #3: ROCKETS
The ones who rocket you are your mentors. Kevin says it’s important for all teens to have at least one mentor. Kevin was working as a mechanic until he met his mentor, who helped Kevin realize his own value. Now, Kevin is a part of a multi-million dollar company. “I’m not special. I didn’t go to college or university. I grew up in a poor, divorced family. I wanted things to be better and I wanted to provide for my parents. My mentor taught me the gift of giving and showed me that it is an important thing that needs to be done.”
He says mentors are easy to find. All a teen has to do is pick up a phone book. “Don’t underestimate the power of the phone book. It’s important to call a mentor, introduce yourself and ask to hang out with them for a month. If you could show them you have value and a sense of commitment, they’ll see you as a long-term reward.”
Kevin, who wanted to be a real estate agent, called 60 agents in Toronto, hoping for a mentor. All said no, except one: the top real estate agent in North America. “Having a mentor is the best life experience. They’re not just going to fall into your life. You have to prove yourself and want them to spend time with you.”
Kevin Cochran encourages you to look at your friends and ask yourself whether you hang out with people who sink, float, or rocket your life.
Some questions to consider:
1. Who do you spend your time with?
2. What do my friends have me saying?
3. What do my friends have me doing?
4. Where do my friends take me?
5. What do they have me thinking?
Written by Faze contributorLinda Nguyen
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