Dear Katie:

Understandably, you care what other people say about you, what they think about you and what they say. We all do. A good aim would be to care less, that is to not rush to accommodate what  other people think you should do.

When your boyfriend criticizes you for having fewer friends than he does, it is unkind of him. The fault is not with you having fewer friends but with him, for criticizing you for it.

I think it is okay to have the  number  of friends that you are having. It is okay. No need to accommodate what other people think, how many friends other people think you should have.  Your boyfriend (and anyone else) can have  as  many friends as  he wants to have, and so can you.

If you agree with what I just wrote, let  him know that, assert yourself with him.

anita