A spark between two people at the start of a relationship can happen in many different ways. Some couples know from the very first time they meet that they want to start a relationship, while other couples start out by being best friends before realizing their true feelings for one another. Being best friends before a relationship begins may ensure that the couple will know each other well, but if the relationship ends badly, two people may lose a best friend. 

“For me, being friends before the relationship definitely helped me gain feelings for [my boyfriend] because I got to know what he was like,” junior Quinn Gillespie said. “I saw how good of a guy he was without the pressure of a relationship.” 

When a couple starts out as best friends before a relationship, they may already have complete trust in one another, which is necessary for any relationship. Moreover, knowing a lot about a person before the start of a relationship allows for them to be more comfortable around one another sooner. 

“I’m glad that we were friends before the relationship,” sophomore Frank Butkus said. “We were able to know each other better, so when we did date it was not at all awkward in the beginning.” 

However, being best friends before the start of a relationship may mean that when the relationship ends, a best friend has been lost. Before a relationship, there is always someone to go to. After, if things do not end on good terms, that person that was always there before may not be anymore. 

According to an article written by Anjali Sareen Nowakowiski, when one of these “awesome” relationships ends, it can be heartbreaking. One does not only lose a romantic relationship, they lose a friendship as well. 

Dating a best friend can make many things easier for a couple and may make two people feel better about having a comfortable relationship, but if the relationship ends poorly, losing a best friend can hurt.