There is no question that young adults are under a lot of stress and are influenced in many ways. [Thesis statement] Among other influences, friends are by far the most important influence on young adults because the majority of their time is spent with their friends, with whom they share similar ages and perspective.

　　For one thing, most young adults spend more time with their friends than anyone else, including their families. Therefore, a young person’s friends can have profound effects on his personality and actions. A good example of this type of influence occurred with my father. As a high school senior, he tended to hang out with the wrong crowd, so his grades suffered to the point where he almost did not graduate. However, he managed to graduate from high school and eventually made it to college, where he chose his friends more carefully and spent time with serious, goal-oriented students. He ultimately graduated with top grades and still exhibits the positive personality traits he learned from his classmates. Being around friends can influence young adults constantly in both positive and negative ways.

　　Moreover, young adults and their friends are of similar ages and perspectives. Therefore, they are able to relate to one another better and be more empathetic and understanding because they know what the others are going through. Sometimes even family members cannot relate to a person like his friends can. For instance, my best friend recently broke up with her boyfriend. Of course, she turned to me for support and comfort because she trusts me and knows I understand how she feels. I doubt she could have discussed her intimate feelings about him with her parents or little sister. In this way, friends are the biggest influence on young adults.

　　All in all, friends influence young adults more than anything else because they are around each other all the time and they share common viewpoints. Friends have the most in common, and they make us who we are.