Whether you’re familiar with the term or not, a “VIP friend” might be your favorite person in the friend group. The opposite of a bonus friend in every imaginable way, a VIP friend is the first person in the group chat to get an invite. As a social butterfly, a VIP friend loves to make their presence known. When they walk into a room, they either already know everyone or they can be found making their rounds and exchanging numbers with strangers in the bathroom.
In other words, VIP friends are the people who thrive in any social setting, no matter if it’s in a bar or during an intimate cookbook club. But it’s not in a disingenuous way, either: They keep the energy up, make folks feel included and welcome in any setting, and can somehow ease the awkwardness of a silent or empty room.
A VIP friend isn’t just great company, though — they’re a social safety net. Even if they may not be the person you want to lounge around with like a couch friend, their presence makes every event more fun and vibrant. “A ‘VIP friend’ is the heart and soul of every gathering,” friendship expert Shari Leid tells PS.
Experts Featured in This Article
Shari Leid is a friendship expert and life coach at An Imperfectly Perfect Life.
Taylor Andrews (she/her) is the balance editor at PS, specializing in topics relating to sex, relationships, dating, sexual health, mental health, travel, and more. With seven years of editorial experience, Taylor has a strong background in content creation and storytelling. Prior to joining PS in 2021, she worked at Cosmopolitan.
