There’s nothing better than hanging out with friends, especially if they’re single and looking along with you. They provide support, sympathize with you or make fun of awful dates, help search through profiles, and help figure out whether a guy is a douche. They can make the process feel less lonely and more manageable. While all this can help you get through the sometimes frustrating process of dating, friends can also get in the way.

Some friends can be pretty negative, and you end up feeling hopeless instead of cheered up. It’s important to know what’s right for you, understand how you feel, and follow your own path. Your friends may have opinions about a person before you have even met him. Just because your friend thinks someone isn’t right for you doesn’t mean she’s right.

Imagine being excited about a first date with a man you met online. Your friend immediately lists everything wrong with his profile, from his job and lack of hair to his idea of a perfect date. Suddenly, you are not so excited, and when you meet him, you start judging right away. If your friend hadn’t pointed out the problems that she saw, you might have had a better time with your date and possibly connected. Give yourself the chance to form your own impression.

Don’t hide behind your friends. When you go out with a group of girlfriends hoping to meet men, the men may feel intimidated by an audience judging every word they say. Can you imagine approaching a woman only to have an audience judging you for every word you say? Try going out with just one friend or separate yourself at the bar. We depend on friends, but don’t lean on them so much that they prevent you from finding someone right for you. In the end, it’s up to you to make the effort and the d