It looks like we've all experienced this to some extent.
What I would like to really know and talk about is the underlying reason as to WHY this is so.
But, yes, I am much better at making friends older or younger than myself.
I use to have two friends before I moved to a different city - one was an 8th grade boy who was 13, the other was his older brother who graduated the year before and who was also my friend.
A 15 year old 11th grade guy, friends with an 8th grade 13 year old and his 18 year old brother...
We were all good friends and I was happy with my friendships with them but that doesn't mean socially it looked like an odd match.
I think we all have our own reasons, but this is mine:
I hate to sound arrogant, but I've always felt a little more mature for my age. This is what helped me get along with older people a lot better.
People younger than me, I like to feel like the wiser/maturer one who can offer guidance. Most people I am friends with who are younger are a bit mature for their age anyway i think...
I'm in 12th grade now and only just starting to notice that everyone else is beginning to catch-up to me.
For the first time in my high school years everyone else my grade has finally caught up to the same maturity level as me - and at the same time I am near the same social skill level as them...
I was behind in social skills, they were behind in maturity. It's balancing out now.
Last year in 11th grade I was so tired of all the pointless behavior my peers had - so I was friends with an 18 year old and his extremely mature 12 year old brother...
What reasons does everyone else HERE have?