--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I hate it when people say they’re trying…" description: "\"“I hate it when people say they’re trying to be your friend. You shouldn’t have to try to be somebody’s friend. Either you like someone or you don’t. E..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/205/emily-wing-smith-45187_friend_i-hate-it-when-people-say-they-re-trying_1657377.jpg" --- # I hate it when people say they’re trying to be your… ![“I hate it when people say they’re trying to be your friend. You shouldn’t have to try to be somebody’s friend. Either you like someone or you don’t. Either you want them as a friend or not. Making friends isn’t like trying for the lead in the school play.” quote by Emily Wing Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/205/emily-wing-smith-45187_friend_i-hate-it-when-people-say-they-re-trying_1657377.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/205/emily-wing-smith-45187_friend_i-hate-it-when-people-say-they-re-trying_1657377.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/205/emily-wing-smith-45187_friend_i-hate-it-when-people-say-they-re-trying_1657377.jpg) > ““I hate it when people say they’re trying to be your friend. You shouldn’t have to try to be somebody’s friend. Either you like someone or you don’t. Either you want them as a friend or not. Making friends isn’t like trying for the lead in the school play.”” [Emily Wing Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-wing-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Friendship should be genuine, not forced; authenticity matters more than social effort. **In simple terms:** True friendships form naturally, not through trying. Key Takeaway Seek authentic connections, avoid forced friendships. Themes authenticity relationships social dynamics Mood thoughtful reflective Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - making new friends - social events - online communities Key Concepts Friendship social pressure personal boundaries Questions to Reflect On - Do you value authenticity over effort in friendships? - How do you handle acquaintances that feel forced? A Different Perspective Some may argue effort is needed to build trust. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friend/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Making friends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-friends/) ## Related quotes > [Focus enough energy inward. Before befriending others, you have to be your own friend. Before making others happy, you have to make yourself happy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/focus-enough-energy-inward-before-befriending-others-you-have-to-be/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [Focus enough energy inward. Before befriending others, you have to be your own friend. Before making others happy, you have to make yourself happy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/focus-enough-energy-inward-before-befriending-others-you-have-to-be-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I can't be sure any more when I meet new people whether they want to be my friend because they like me or because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demond-wilson/i-can-t-be-sure-any-more-when-i-meet-new-people-whether-they-want-to/) [Demond Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demond-wilson/) > [If people want to be my friend, I like people to respect me as always, but if u can't get off my line den](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reagan-g/if-people-want-to-be-my-friend-i-like-people-to-respect-me-as-always/) [Reagan G](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reagan-g/) > [She (Judy Garland) was a friend of mine, a trying friend, but a friend. That is what I tell myself: She did everything she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liza-minnelli/she-judy-garland-was-a-friend-of-mine-a-trying-friend-but-a-friend/) [Liza Minnelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liza-minnelli/) > [Fed up of the lieing fed up of the crying your not worth trying go take you and your other friend and go oh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/koolio/fed-up-of-the-lieing-fed-up-of-the-crying-your-not-worth-trying-go/) Koolio > [A few days ago I realised I'm the one trying to be friend with everyone . So I stopped. I lost people I never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shmoopy/a-few-days-ago-i-realised-i-m-the-one-trying-to-be-friend-with/) Shmoopy > [“Once people reach a certain level in this business, they stop trying. And my friend hasn’t. And for that, I admire her and am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leah-remini/once-people-reach-a-certain-level-in-this-business-they-stop-trying/) [Leah Remini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leah-remini/) > [I'm done trying to be your friend cause all you've been lately is a backstabbing b\*tch. Go find someone else to treat like sh\*t.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-done-trying-to-be-your-friend-cause-all-you-ve-been-lately-is-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Charlie, you’re missing the point. The point is that I don’t think you would have acted different even if you did like Mary Elizabeth.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/charlie-you-re-missing-the-point-the-point-is-that-i-don-t-think-you/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [Never forget that God is your friend. And like all friends, He longs to hear what's been happening in your life. Good or bad,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/never-forget-that-god-is-your-friend-and-like-all-friends-he-longs-to/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [All you need to do to be my friend is like me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/all-you-need-to-do-to-be-my-friend-is-like-me/) [Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/) > [A good friend is like a COMPUTER enters your life saves you in the heart formats your problems, shifts you to opportunity and neva…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mejar-hendrix/a-good-friend-is-like-a-computer-enters-your-life-saves-you-in-the/) Mejar\_Hendrix > [A best friend is like a four leaf clover: hard to found and lucky to have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren/a-best-friend-is-like-a-four-leaf-clover-hard-to-found-and-lucky-to/) [Lauren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren/) > [My friends call me by my name." "You don't have any friends." "I don't want you to be my friend, Selia, or my servant,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-hale/my-friends-call-me-by-my-name-you-don-t-have-any-friends-i-don-t-want/) [Shannon Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-hale/) ## More by Emily Wing Smith > [“Let me guess, you’ve wanted to build your own ark ever since you learned about the guy you were named after?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-wing-smith/let-me-guess-you-ve-wanted-to-build-your-own-ark-ever-since-you/) [Emily Wing Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-wing-smith/) > [“Some people remember their life in landscapes. I remember mine in titles.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-wing-smith/some-people-remember-their-life-in-landscapes-i-remember-mine-in/) [Emily Wing Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-wing-smith/) > [“But I loved the library simply because it was a library. I love libraries. I like reading, but I love libraries. Being surrounded by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-wing-smith/but-i-loved-the-library-simply-because-it-was-a-library-i-love/) [Emily Wing Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-wing-smith/) > [“Books equaled permanence”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-wing-smith/books-equaled-permanence/) [Emily Wing Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-wing-smith/) > [“Being soaked alone is cold. Being soaked with your best friend is an adventure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-wing-smith/being-soaked-alone-is-cold-being-soaked-with-your-best-friend-is-an/) [Emily Wing Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-wing-smith/) > [“When you lose your best friend it's not always because they go somewhere, like Noah's best friend did. Sometimes you're the one who goes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-wing-smith/when-you-lose-your-best-friend-it-s-not-always-because-they-go/) [Emily Wing Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-wing-smith/) > [“A person should try to understand dreams. A person should take warning from them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-wing-smith/a-person-should-try-to-understand-dreams-a-person-should-take-warning/) [Emily Wing Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-wing-smith/) > [“I guess the whole world is made up of things coming together and things falling apart,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-wing-smith/i-guess-the-whole-world-is-made-up-of-things-coming-together-and/) [Emily Wing Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-wing-smith/) [Explore all 9 Emily Wing Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-wing-smith/) ## More Friend quotes > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [I gave my archive to Emory University because there's a really dear friend who teaches there, Rudolph Byrd, and he's the editor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/i-gave-my-archive-to-emory-university-because-there-s-a-really-dear/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [Friends are like stars you can't always see them, but you know they're there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unknwon/friends-are-like-stars-you-can-t-always-see-them-but-you-know-they-re/) Unknwon > [“But my best friend from college was silent for a long time. She, of all of my friends, had seen the parade of sad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-groff/but-my-best-friend-from-college-was-silent-for-a-long-time-she-of-all/) [Lauren Groff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-groff/) > [“way. A true friend isn't the one that agrees with everything you say or do. A true friend is someone that has your back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shameek-speight/way-a-true-friend-isn-t-the-one-that-agrees-with-everything-you-say/) [Shameek Speight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shameek-speight/) > [No one is completely unhappy at the failure of his best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/no-one-is-completely-unhappy-at-the-failure-of-his-best-friend/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [“The real purpose of friendship was to discover and exploit weakness in others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-thompson/the-real-purpose-of-friendship-was-to-discover-and-exploit-weakness/) [Brian Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-thompson/) > [That FRIEND who claim they do anything for you. but yet talk behind your back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kushsoulja/that-friend-who-claim-they-do-anything-for-you-but-yet-talk-behind/) KushSoulja > [In life, we never lose friends we only get to know who the true ones are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ace-kid/in-life-we-never-lose-friends-we-only-get-to-know-who-the-true-ones/) [Ace Kid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ace-kid/) > [“Before you were my enemy, you were my best friend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/before-you-were-my-enemy-you-were-my-best-friend/) [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) > [Sam dropped me off. When she was too far away to see me, I started to cry again. Because she was my friend again.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/sam-dropped-me-off-when-she-was-too-far-away-to-see-me-i-started-to/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [“When you get lost in a really strange place, nothing is more comforting than found your friend whom you trust and can show the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/when-you-get-lost-in-a-really-strange-place-nothing-is-more/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [Friendship, "the wine of life," should, like a well-stocked cellar, be continually renewed; and it is consolatory to think, that although we can seldom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-boswell/friendship-the-wine-of-life-should-like-a-well-stocked-cellar-be/) [James Boswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-boswell/) > [I fell in love with my best friend, but I know that if it doesn't last, it will never be the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelly-yang/i-fell-in-love-with-my-best-friend-but-i-know-that-if-it-doesn-t-last/) Shelly Yang > [A best friend isn't someone who's just always there for you.Its someone who understands you a bit more than you understand yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/a-best-friend-isn-t-someone-who-s-just-always-there-for-you-its/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) [Browse all 14,984 Friend quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friend/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I hate it when people say they’re trying to be your friend. You shouldn’t have to try to be somebody’s friend. Either you like someone or you don’t. Either you want them as a friend or not. Making friends isn’t like trying for the lead in the school play.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Emily Wing Smith" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-wing-smith/i-hate-it-when-people-say-they-re-trying-to-be-your-friend-you/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Friend" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-wing-smith/i-hate-it-when-people-say-they-re-trying-to-be-your-friend-you/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/205/emily-wing-smith-45187_friend_i-hate-it-when-people-say-they-re-trying_1657377.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/205/emily-wing-smith-45187_friend_i-hate-it-when-people-say-they-re-trying_1657377.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/205/emily-wing-smith-45187_friend_i-hate-it-when-people-say-they-re-trying_1657377.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I hate it when people say they’re trying to be your friend. You shouldn’t have to try to be somebody’s…” — Emily Wing Smith", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Emily Wing Smith", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-wing-smith/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I hate it when people say...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-wing-smith/i-hate-it-when-people-say-they-re-trying-to-be-your-friend-you/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-wing-smith/i-hate-it-when-people-say-they-re-trying-to-be-your-friend-you/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```