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Whilst many of us are caring friends already, there's always something we can learn about how to be an even better friend.

So we've dipped into our archive of wellbeing content for 3 tips that could really help your friendships flourish.

Top three tips to help you be a better friend

3. Be kind – it's good for your wellbeing

Earlier this year we spoke to Dr Robin Banerjee, an expert in kindness, who told us being kind nurtures friendships, 'when we do kind things for others, they’re more likely to have positive feelings towards us, and having strong relationships with the people in our lives is known to be good for our wellbeing'. Robin has the following tips to help us be more kind:

• Give emotional support – if you know someone is feeling down, you can support them by listening, comforting them and reminding them of their strengths.
• Give practical support – this could be as simple as helping out around the house or helping a friend learn a new skill.
• Be generous – this isn’t just about giving gifts. You can be generous with your time and energy. How about baking some cookies for a friend or family member, or offering to help a younger sibling with their homework?
• Be inclusive – you can show kindness by inviting someone to join you when you're getting together with friends, whether that's a trip to the cinema or just hanging out.

2. Listen to your friends

In 2021, Radio One Life Hacks presenter Katie Thistleton, along with young people's charity Young Minds, told us that the best thing you can do to support a friend who is going through a difficult time is to listen to them. Katie says, 'don't make assumptions or interrupt them, you don't even need to respond. In fact, you can let them know that you're listening by nodding and repeating what they've said.' She continues, 'let your friend know that they're not alone. Reassure them that they've done the right thing by reaching out to talk.'

Our 2020 article, 'How to be a good listener when someone opens up' has a handy acronym to help you remember how to respond when a friend shares their feelings, it's called the SHUSH method:

S - Show you care

H - Have patience

U - Use open questions (not yes/no questions)

S - Say it back

H - Have courage

1. Surround yourself with people who reflect who you are

Our number one tip is to find people reflect who you are. We recently spoke to mental health expert Dr Radha about navigating difficult friendships, 'as we go through school life, it's not unusual for our friendship groups to change, but that doesn't mean we have to fall out.' Radha suggests talking things through with your friends, 'understand where they're coming from, and if that friendship groups not for you, then move on, new friendships will form. At the end of the day, the most important thing to do is surround yourself with people who reflect who you are.'

We've got lots more advice about friendships and relationships on the wellbeing section of Bitesize Study Support, so do take a look, you never know when you'll need the advice!

If you need support

You should always tell someone about the things you’re worried about. You can tell a friend, parent, guardian, teacher, or another trusted adult. If you're struggling with your mental health, going to your GP can be a good place to start to find help. Your GP can let you know what support is available to you, suggest different types of treatment and offer regular check-ups to see how you’re doing.

If you’re in need of in-the-moment support you can contact , where you can speak to a counsellor. Their lines are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

There are more links to helpful organisations on ����ý Action Line.