A little help from my friends

I thought about it, and figured that maybe I should provide the less knowledgeable (aka: those who've never had an imaginary friend) with some reference on how the process creating said friend is set into motion.

Below are links to how-to guides I found on www.wikihow.com for making imaginary friends, and my opinions on them.

How to make an Imaginary Friend
This guide does a great job of covering aspects your imaginary friend should have as well as things you and your friend should do. My favorite part that they included was, "make sure their personality will make them side with you almost all the time." Essentially, your imaginary friend is your ultimate best friend. You wouldn't want to create a friend that you would have imaginary fights with, instead your friend would be one to always be on your side and support you.

I liked how they included Tips and Warnings sections, though I would have to disagree with some of them:

-"Make sure they always wear a hat so you know where to look." If you're using your imagination to crate your friend to begin with, you really shouldn't need to carry a hovering hat around to show you "where" they are. You just imagine where they are and that's where they are. It's that simple.

-"If you ever get caught doing something wrong your imaginary friend is a good person to blame." Please don't do this. If you do something wrong, it's your fault and no one else's. Own up to your mistakes. Because seriously, saying your imaginary friend robbed the bank will sound a lot worse then just taking the blame yourself.

-"Never try to introduce your imaginary friend to real humans, they might think you're weird (ie. insane)." Not entirely true. Though some people might find the idea strange, a lot of people have had imaginary friends as children, have children with imaginary friends now, still talk to their imaginary friends, or even just talk to themselves (which is close ^^) All of my friends and family members know about my imaginary friend, Jake, and accept him. I have never once met hostility about it.

Other than those points, I think it works well as a simple how to guide to creating an imaginary friend.
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Step one of the above guide said to come up with a name, so here's a guide on how to do that:

How to Pick a Name for Your Imaginary Friend

Picking a name for your imaginary friend could be anywhere from super easy to really tedious. For me, it was easy. Jake Anderson was the first name that came to mind, so I figured that's what it was meant to be. Some friends may be more complex, though, with grand super powers and vibrant colors. You'll want a name that suits it, so choosing one can be a lot tougher.

This how-to guide did a great job of pointing out different aspects you could consider when trying to pick a name for your imaginary friend. I really loved the "make sure your name is nothing embarrassing for your imaginary friend" part. That shows just how personal creating an imaginary friend is. Besides, if you're going to tell your real friends about your imaginary one, and it has an embarrassing name, even you won't want to say it!

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So, I hope that helped someone. You should all go and create an imaginary friend now! I'm serious. Go and think up a fun little buddy (using the helpful guides above of course ^^) and then have them leave me a comment!

Oh and don't forget a great name!

-Lauren & Jake

No Less Than Jake

"I've been all around this crummy world
And no one will defend
The comfort found in imaginary friends."

-Mono Puff

Well someone has to defend the honor of imaginary friends, and I shall gladly take on that duty!

Let me start by introducing myself. I'm Lauren, a red-haired, soft-spoken, 22 year-old from Long Island, New York. I'm an only child with a grand obsession for collecting, and can usually be caught talking to myself more than to other people.

. . . actually, that last part's a lie. If you ever catch me mumbling something when no one seems to be around, I'm not talking to myself. I'm chatting with my imaginary friend, Jake.

Don't laugh, 22 year-olds can have make believe pals too.

I first created Jake when I was in the 6th grade as a sort of, imaginary boyfriend. Now I know what you're thinking, and no. Jake isn't a giant, green, hairy monster type of imaginary friend. Why would I want to pretend I was dating that? That's just weird. In actuality, he's human. His full name is Jacob Anderson. He has short black hair and green eyes. His birthday is July 15, 1983, and he's just tall enough for my head to rest in the crook of his neck.

Aww, ain't that romantic?

. . . and that would be Jake trying to embarrass me. Anyway, ignoring him and continuing my post. Most of my friends and family know of Jake as a blue pillow that I bring everywhere. I use the pillow as something tangible for me to speak with or hold when I need to, because sometimes talking to air is just, not enough.

(left to right)
Me, Jake (in pillow form), & my cousin Samantha
2003

When I entered college in 2003, Jake took on a new role in my life. He became my support system through all the anxious times I found myself facing. Whenever I was in a panic about something, I could hear Jake speaking to me, trying to calm me down. He helped me get though a lot of finals.

Today, Jake is still around and I'm not letting him go anytime soon. I think the main reason behind my still having an imaginary friend at my age is the fact that I'm an only child. I hate being alone. But with Jake around, I never really am.

-Lauren & Jake