8 Personality Types to Look for in Friends ...

This person may grate on your nerves like whoa if they haven't learned how to temper their personality, but you have to admit that, sometimes, it's handy to be around an expert on everything. At the very least, this friend is always helpful around people who aren't nice to you, because he or she won't hesitate to vigorously rub your enemies the wrong way, either.

Sometimes the materialism of this personality type can drive you up the wall. My BFF Adam qualifies as a Fashion Plate (among other things; some friends have several personality types, so you get two-for-one specials!) and he does get on my nerves with it a lot. However, without him, I probably wouldn't have an ounce of style, I still wouldn't know anything about makeup, and I'd never know what Versace is putting out in Spring. Granted, not life or death knowledge, but it does help with the job!

I am a very … lackadaisical person. I'm always late for everything, I never plan anything out or create schedules, and honestly, I suffer for it. A person or personality type like that actually really needs a control freak for balance. I happen to be marrying one! The Better Half gets me where I need to be on time, helps me learn the crucial skills of time management, and sometimes drives me crazy, but that's okay because you can't take the good if you aren't willing to take the bad as well.

The Arts Snob may be a snob about music, books, movies, plays, or anything like that. He or she is necessary to give you diverse opinions, to keep you trying new things. Through the friend with this personality type, you can learn about bands and authors and musicals or ballets you never would have heard about otherwise.

Everybody needs a dreamer. These are the friends you curl up and dream with; you discuss what-ifs and fantasies and deepest wishes together. Your dreamer friend is always a little whimsical and ephemeral, as if he or she might disappear into the ether any second – and that's part of the appeal!

I do not always like the Flake, but I recognize the need. Sometimes, you have to have that one friend you compare yourself to, so you can see where your own faults lie. This is that friend for me. The personality type is fickle and frequently changes its mind and might even be prone to boat loads of hypocrisy, but it will help you keep those aspects of yourself in perspective.

This is also a friend to keep you in perspective. Because while it's fun sometimes to snark and gossip and talk smack, this personality type makes you remember how much it stings, and reminds you that if you have to take on some Mean Girl aspects yourself, for goodness' sakes, do it privately!

The Sweetheart balances out the Mean Girl. This friend has the kind of personality that makes you want to be a better person too. Every time you're around this friend, you learn what it actually means to pay things forward, and what you see makes you want to incorporate this facet into your own personality.

Now, these are just the personalities that I find vital to my life – or else they are just there, because my friends happen to have these personalities. What about you? What's vital in your life? Do you and your friends balance each other out?

Top Photo Credit: mischa.marple