[TOEFL] Choose friends who are similar to yourself or different from yourself?

Hi everyone, I'm preparing for TOEFL iBT test. Please help me to improve my writing skills.
This is my second practice essay. Please show me what I have done well and what I need to improve.

PROMPT: Some people choose friends who are different from themselves, while others choose friends who are similar to themselves. Do you usually choose friends similar to yourself or different from yourself? Which type have you made the closest friendships with?

ESSAY
We all have our own friends, they can be either similar or different from us. Friends who are similar to us usually share the same ideas and hobbies while those friends with different lifestyles may give an interesting look of the world we are living in. In my opinion, I appreciate all of my friends, but I prefer to spend my time with those who are different from me.

First, I can learn so many new things from them. They usually show various hobbies and habits that make up a diverse group of friends, like a colorful animated picture. Being friend with them, we can learn many things. They can show you how to do the same thing in different ways. You can also follow them into many activities, try something brand-new that you have never tried before, thus you can discover yourself and become better. I have a friend who has a great passion in wave surfing while I was really scared of it. I would rather swim or lie on the beach all day long than risk myself trying that thing. He talked to me again and again about it, and finally convinced me just tried it for once. But then I completely fell in love with waves and surfing, I could do it all day! I regretted not trying it earlier, and I realized that I was stronger and braver than I had thought.

Second, friends with different inclinations and talents can get us motivated. They have different conceptions of life, interacting with them will help you form a bigger picture of the world. They have unique ideas and never stop creating new values in hope of making the world a better place. Keep your eye on what and how they are doing, you will get inspired. You will be in a mood of ready to act and create. Few of my friends are social workers, they take part in many activities, travel to a lot of states and regions, help many people in poverty... I just spent most of my time around campus, but looking at what my friends were doing, I found my responsibility to the community and I had no right to do less than them. Then I've been a social worker, working everyday helped other people make their dreams come true.

Good friends are among the best things one has in life. Friends with different characteristics are interesting, but we also need those who are similar to us. The important thing is that we and our friends should be in harmony, and have great times together.