This is a sponsored article in partnership with THINK!
For a long time, it has become somewhat stereotypical that men aren’t in touch with their feelings and emotions.
However, as the years tick by, more and more men are opening up to their closest friends and proudly showcasing the love and respect they have for one another within their “bromances”.
But, some conversations can still be tough to have face-to-face. For example, I love all my friends dearly, but if you were to sit me down in front of them and ask me what I admire most, I’d probably break the awkward silence with a joke about how loud they can burp on command.
That’s why we gave male members of the VT audience the chance to anonymously share their true feelings about their friends.
The question was simple: “Guys, what do you respect the most about your friends?”
The responses were, as you’d probably expect, the perfect mix of hilarious, heartwarming, and insightful.
One touching response read: “Treating other people with respect, and looking out for others, especially those that often get ignored.”
"For being open and honest with anything they're struggling with or are really proud of. Any form of emotion being expressed that's not linked to football," wrote a second.
A third reply praised their friend’s “constant and never-ending optimism about any situation”.
And a fourth follower simply hailed their mate’s “honesty, truth, and unconditional respect”.
In fact, of the dozens of replies we received, certain words kept popping up time and time again. “Honesty”, "respect", and “kindness”. These are admirable traits that we should expect from our mates, but also ensure we have ourselves.
They can be applied to everything; from our conduct at work to our relationships — platonic or romantic. And they can even apply to one of the very fundamentals of our day to day lives: driving.
It really is a heartbreaking statistic that male drivers aged between 17-24 in the UK are four times more likely to be killed or seriously injured when compared to drivers aged 25 and above.
For a lot of young men, passing their driving test and getting their first car can be an incredibly exciting experience. At that age, who wouldn’t want to show off their new wheels and take their friends for a test drive?
However, this excitement to impress our friends can also lead to us developing some bad habits on the road. Whether it’s seeing how fast your car can go down a seemingly empty country lane, or checking phone notifications, we must ensure we put everyone’s safety first, and remember that this is what makes us such an important friend to others.
From looking at the answers we received, it’s clear that so many of our friendships are built on honesty and respect for others, and it is important to keep these traits in mind whenever you’re behind the wheel of a vehicle.
So, ensure to check off the fundamentals each and every time you’re on the road. Don’t amp up that speed pedal when you’re in a hurry, don’t get complacent when you think you know a road, never think of the speed limit as a target, and, as always, keep your phone out of sight and out of reach.
At the end of the day, mates respect mates who don’t take risks when it comes to safety.
Be sure to look after yourself and each other.