A big 'No' to sharing

Borrowing or lending things have common between friends and siblings. Best friends share a lot on the basis of mutual trust. But sometimes when borrowed things are returned in bad condition, the friendship may land in jeopardy. So how do youngsters handle the sharing aspect in friendship with diplomacy and tact? Metrolife takes a look.

Vinay, a final year student in BNMIT never borrows and never lends expensive things to others. "Actually, I am against borrowing stuff. If I trust a friend, I share items which are not very valuable. But if it is someone I don't trust, then I know how to say 'No' to them," he says.

But there are people who consider relationships more valuable than items, and they excuse borrowers in case of small damages. Anuraj, who has no problem lending or borrowing things despite bitter experiences says,  "Once my friend borrowed my collection of Bond movies. It came back full of scratches and I couldn't play them again. But since friendship is important, I didn't say anything to him but in future I will stick by the rule 'the person who breaks it, buys it'.”

Money, however, is excluded from sharing. “We loan or borrow small amounts and even help each other in difficulties but never let it become a habit," he adds.

Chetan, working with a multinational company, tasted the bitterness of losing stuff and the anxiety it can cause. "Two months ago we went on a company picnic to an amusement park. I stayed away from the water rides as I had a cold. Everybody left their item like glares and wallets in my care and collected them later. One expensive pair of sun glasses went missing and I was blamed. The person also stopped talking to me," he laments.

Sharing clothes and accessories are common among girls but to avoid lending their stuff, they conveniently attach some sentimental value to it.

Supritha, a final-year student at PESIT, says she has no problem in lending her things to friends but with some conditions.

"I don't mind lending my things, except those which have sentimental value. If people are known to be careless I never lend them stuff and if it is not returned within the agreed time, then they can never borrow from me again," she declares.