Gen Z obsessed with New York college sweethearts who dated in 1976—then chose lifelong friendship instead

What happens when a romantic relationship doesn’t work out? For most people, it means moving on and never looking back. But for Jill and Bob, breaking up in college didn’t end their connection; it transformed it. Now, nearly five decades later, their friendship is still going strong and the Gen Z are absolutely obsessed with them. Their story, shared by "Besties NYC" on their Instagram page @bestiesnyc, has captivated the internet, with many people celebrating the longevity of their friendship. It all started when Bob, a comedian, wrote a newspaper column in their college paper at SUNY Oneonta titled "Oops, It’s My Boyfriend." The piece humorously described how the women in the dorm would sprint to the communal phone at the end of the hallway whenever it rang.

Jill, unimpressed by what she called a "sexist and patronizing" article, responded with a letter to the editor saying, "Who is this j***?" Not long after, fate brought them face-to-face at a party. Jill asked him, "It was like, 'You wrote the column. You wrote the letter.' And then we laughed, and we’ve been best friends ever since," Bob recalled. They dated for about a year before Jill ended things, but "they have been best friends ever since." When the interviewer asked them how long ago that happened, they said, "We have been friends since 1976." When asked about their favorite things about each other, Bob had nothing but admiration for Jill. He expressed how much he appreciated her.

He said, "Oh man, she’s brilliant, she’s a lot of fun, and she’s the best friend anybody could have." Jill jokingly added, "And I am easygoing." Jill, equally fond of Bob, explained why their friendship has lasted so long. She said, "He’s very smart, and he’s a great guy to travel with because he knows all the cool things to do in a place. He’s a good resource, and he’s a lot of fun." Bob added, "We have fun—we’ve always had a lot of fun together. Even when we broke up, we had fun. How many people break up and still hang out together, you know?"

A lot of Gen Z people on the platform were both impressed and amazed by their unique bond. @boribelge_marcial joked, "They are a couple... of friends. This friendship has lasted longer than most marriages." @itstimiduhh commented, "Not discarding people from your life just because the romantic connection didn’t work." @tabodiandsquid added, "Enemy to lovers to friends. New trope?" @curvyliciousyogini said, "I love this friendship. They both seem like they’d be great to hang out with." @yjra wrote, "Everyone needs platonic love. Not everyone needs to be in a relationship. They seem happy just as they are." 

@julia_liebisch commented, "Couldn’t love this more. Not everybody needs to end up together romantically. Such a long friendship might just be even more important." Others shared their stories of lasting friendships after romance. @keeblercookie75 said, "My parents divorced when I was a small child and remained great friends til her death, many, many years later." @becca.roma added. "This is me and my ex-husband, my best friend. Married in 2001 and divorced in 2011. There is not a day that goes by that we don't talk, and we hang out at least once a week to this very day."

You can follow Besties NYC (@bestiesnyc) on Instagram for more best-friend meet-cute content.