The difference between friends and best friends may not be immediately apparent. Friends provide companionship and understanding, while best friends are known for their antics and willingness to engage in mischief, even at late hours. While friends may be seen as a guiding force, best friends are more likely to be the ones encouraging wild behavior.

1. They spend lots of time listening to long, messy rants

A member of the group expresses a need to vent about her frustrating boss, but quickly becomes sidetracked as she recounts a past incident involving her dog escaping on Halloween and her own wild pursuit in a gorilla costume. The other friends attentively listen and occasionally chime in, as the rant goes on for several hours. Eventually, the conversation comes to a close and the group realizes they are all now hungry.

2. They laugh at each other

Best friends don't just laugh with each other, they laugh at each other. They find humor in the silly things people do, and don't hold back their amusement. Unlike friends who may try to be polite and hide their laughter, best friends don't shy away from showing their enjoyment, and may even contribute to the foolishness themselves.

3. They do absolutely nothing together, and they're fine with that

When friends gather, they don't need to plan elaborate activities like going to a bar or watching a movie. Simply engaging in conversation is enough to provide entertainment for everyone. Exchanging offensive and crude jokes can keep everyone in high spirits and laughter for hours. It's not uncommon for their faces to ache from smiling and laughing so much.

4. They watch terrible movies just to make fun of them

Whether it's a low-budget horror movie or a cheesy film on the Lifetime channel, best friends don't watch these movies to appreciate them; they watch them to mock the poor plot, acting, and dialogue. They find humor in terrible movies and create inside jokes that last for years.

5. They have uncontrollable giggle fits in public places

It's often the small, unexpected moments that trigger uncontrollable laughter among best friends, usually in quiet environments where their outburst stands out. They may lose their composure and find themselves unable to stop laughing while those around them look on in confusion.

6. They shamelessly recall embarrassing memories

No embarrassing event is off-limits to be mentioned among best friends. If something comes to mind, it's quickly brought up in conversation. As a result, everyone remembers the time when Becky got drunk at a baby shower and made inappropriate jokes about penis all night.

7. They send each other random texts and pictures

Texting with best friends often includes sending N*SYNC lyrics at 2am and sharing pictures of Disney memes. If a week goes by without receiving a strange message, it's likely that something is wrong and a check-in message is necessary.

8. They share very personal things with each other

When a group of best friends are laughing hysterically, it's more likely that they were discussing something crude or inappropriate, like poop, rather than something more traditionally considered "girly" like a reality show. Best friends share their worst thoughts and experiences without shame, knowing they will be laughed at but never judged. Though maybe a little judgment is passed on.

9. They purposely try on terrible outfits when they go shopping

Best friends do not care about looking attractive in front of one another. If they spot a collection of unattractive clothes that would make an awful outfit, they head straight to the fitting room to try them on. When they come out of the fitting room, they walk out like a high-fashion model, ready to be laughed at and have their picture taken.

10. They rescue each other from awkward situations

Best friends will always come to the rescue of their crew member, no matter what the situation, whether they are stranded on the toilet or stuck at an uncomfortable family gathering. They quickly come up with a plan of action upon receiving a distress call, and will do whatever it takes to save the one in need. The mentality of "never leaving a man behind" is a fundamental part of their group dynamic and it is often put to use.