This is such a great question.
I've changed alot from my younger years. I wouldn't say that it's gotten any harder or easier to make friends, I would say that it's been the same. I think the harder thing is making 'true' friends (lifelong relationships) which are always the kind I seek. Making true friends and building a life long friendship has always been difficult, that aspect has never really changed for me.
My problem as a child was that I saw things in black and white. I didn't bother with friends/acquaintances. I saw them as a waste of energy if things didn't develop into a lifelong friendship. God forbid any of my true-friend ever screwed up, I would axe them from my life without a second thought.
The only thing that's really changed since my younger years is that I've become more tolerant of acquaintances/friends (I group them in the same category) and more forgiving of lifelong friends. I've learned to view acquaintances as potential instead of a waste of energy... atleast until proven wrong. If I were to give an analogy, it's that everybody starts off with an A... if you screw up, the grade comes down... and if you get an F, the desire to maintain any sort of contact evaporates but I can be civil. I still have the same 'grading' method when I was younger, the only thing that's changed is that I don't fail somebody for getting a B LOL
I've learned alot about friendships as I've gotten older. Things really aren't always clear cut, and people aren't perfect. They'll screw things up, sure... but I think the one thing that's changed about me in that arena is that I've switched from "accept perfection, ditch anything less" to "assume the best, prepare for the worst".
I changed my approach after looking at my lifelong relationships; humans are never perfect, but if they have good intentions and a good heart eventually we'll work with each other and arrive at the 'lifelong' part of the friendship lol My INTJ friend has taught me that being able to spot a good heart, and forgiving them for mistakes (the bigger the better - to an extent ofcourse O__O) it sometimes makes the relationship stronger than it would have ever been even if it forever changes the dynamic... I could go into this forever, but I'll leave it at that
