Unraveling TikTok’s ‘Seven Friends Theory’

Another day, another TikTok theory. This one states that you only need seven friends to be happy. With such a claim, friendship experts and therapists have weighed in on the topic.

The "Seven Friend Theory" suggests that you only need seven friends to be happy... as long as they fill a particular role. TikToker Allie Worton took to the platform and highlighted how the theory applies to her life. She then listed seven qualities and pictures of her friends that bring these particular characteristics into her life.

One of the roles includes a friend you’ve had since you were little. That was followed by a friend who could make you laugh in any situation and a friend you can go forever without talking to, but your relationship doesn't change. Also, part of the theoretical friends is one who you can talk to about anything, a friend that’s like a sister. And wrapping up the seven friend theory roles is a friend you can’t imagine not being friends with and a friend that knows about all your relationship problems, even though they don’t want to hear about it.

TikTok user @lysscausey made a video sharing that she had "seven bridesmaids for a reason," and included a heartwarming pic of the creator surrounded by her bridal party on her wedding day.

Some people have pushed back on the theory, noting that one or two people can fit into more than one of these roles. For instance, there were only five Spice Girls in the group, not seven. There’s also been some criticism that this theory can present a limited view of the importance of connection and friendship. This means that you can let anyone into your friend circle, it doesn’t have to stop at seven or even come close to that number.

It’s unknown who started the Seven Friend Theory, but the trend has gained a lot of attention. The hashtag #7friendtsheory has over 12.5 million views on TikTok. While the related hashtag #SevenFriendsTheory has over 3 million.

As a host, it's important to make your guests feel welcome and comfortable in your home. However, sometimes situations may arise where you need to politely ask your guests to leave. In case it's getting too late, and you have work to attend to the next day, or if your neighbors are beginning to raise concerns about the noise level, it might be necessary to ask your guests to leave. Also, if someone's getting out of control, it's probably best to give them the boot before they do something ridiculous.

Do you know what can be tricky when you're hosting? Figuring out how to gracefully nudge people toward the exit. It's one of those challenging skills that can test your hosting abilities. There are some polite and not-so-polite ways to show and ask guests to leave your house.

A polite way to show and ask guests to leave is by using gentle language and expressing appreciation for their visit. An example would be saying something like "I'm sorry to interrupt, but I have to wake up early in the morning and I need to get some rest. Can we continue our conversation another time?"

On the other hand, a not-so-polite way to show and ask guests to leave is by being more assertive in your language. For instance, you might say something along the lines of "I'm sorry, but it's time for you to leave now as you've overstayed your welcome."

Here are some clever ways to encourage guests to wrap up their visit.

Without saying a word, start washing dishes and clearing out the trash scattered around the room. As you clean up and tidy the space, it sends the message to your guests that the event is coming to an end.

If you want to drop a hint to your guests that it's time for them to start thinking about heading home, try casually asking them about their transportation plans. It's a way of showing that you're considerate of their needs and subtly letting them know that the evening is winding down.

An empty snack bowl and dry glasses can work wonders in persuading people to call it a night. As the gathering starts winding down, you can slyly stop serving alcohol and snacks. By doing this, you're giving a subtle signal that the party is slowly coming to an end.

When you're ready to drop some hints that it's time for your guests to leave, why not go all out and put on your favorite pajamas? It makes it clear to guests that you’re ready to call it a night.

A sneaky move to nudge your guests towards the door is to start casually turning off the lights. Dimming the room gradually changes the ambiance of a party sending a not-so-subtle message that it's time to wrap things up.

As a clever way to wrap up your party and gently encourage guests to leave, why not suggest taking a group photo together? It’s a way to end the party on a high note and a great closing activity too.