1. Maintaining a constant flow of messages to each other over email/Gchat/Facebook/Slack
2. Coming to a silent agreement to slope off at approximately the same time each morning for a tea break
3. Strategically plotting when to get lunch so you can always do it together
4. Knowing their favourite crisps/sandwich fillings/drink so you can pick them up no questions asked
5. Being irritated by the same colleagues
6. Knowing you can furiously message them something like ‘If Tom doesn’t stop coughing I’ll MURDER’ without judgement
7. Being extremely put out by the other taking an unexpected day off. Like, excuse you
8. And getting a bit lost when someone takes holidays. Who are you supposed to direct your chat at?
9. Feeling obliged to keep each other in the loop on all the office gossip
10. And like your regular best friend, it doesn’t count if you tell them any secrets you unearth
11. Conducting an entire conversation in a meeting through sneaky glances
12. Being the first people to congratulate each other when something goes well
13. And being the first person they go to when seeking out emergency supplies of deodorant, tampons etc
14. Your attendance at a work party is entirely dependent on if they’re going too
15. And you feel completely unmoored and awkward if they’re not by your side
16. Sometimes you actually have to work together on something, and it’s basically just sanctioned hanging out
17. And if you’re having a bad day, there’s always someone to turn to for a pep talk
