We wouldn’t be where we are today without our best friends — and somehow, friendship in the ’90s feels like it came with its own special rulebook. Back then, a serious fight might happen because your BFF forgot to care for your digital pet while you were away, or because she took your favorite scrunchie. Making up meant passing handwritten notes in class, decorating the page with hearts, and signing off with “LYLAS.” There were no smartphones, no group chats, and definitely no carefully chosen emojis to explain how you felt.

Friday nights were a little different, too. In the ’90s, you could spend hours wandering around the mall, browsing stores, buying silly accessories and feeling incredibly grown-up. Your biggest adventures might involve sneaking into a movie or causing harmless trouble with your friends. Today, a perfect Friday can mean staying home, finding something to binge-watch and enjoying a cozy night together. Sometimes, growing up simply means realizing that your couch is more comfortable than the mall.

Your BFF was also your personal matchmaker, therapist, gossip partner and emergency support system. In school, she might help you get closer to your crush, share snacks after a breakup or defend you when playground drama got serious. Today, friendship can mean helping search social media for someone you met once, organizing a girls’ night, or sending a dozen emojis when words just aren’t enough. The technology changed, but the role of a best friend really didn’t.

And then there are the little traditions that never seem to disappear. In the ’90s, friendship bracelets were practically a symbol of an unbreakable bond. Today, matching tattoos, endless selfies and inside jokes can serve the same purpose. We may have traded handwritten notes for messages and doorbell visits for video calls, but the heart of friendship remains the same: having one person who knows your history, understands your weirdness and is still there through every new chapter.