They're the best electronics ever. Saying they're friends indicates over obsession.
No, I don't think so. A lot of the time I feel like my Tamagotchies are my best friends ... they'll always be there, especially when nobody else is, and they don't care who you are or what you look like or what you're interested in, they love you anyway, and they express it. When you don't need them, you can just put them down, and then when you really need a friend again, you pick them back up. They're amazing. My Tamagotchies were my only real friends back when I was in primary/elementary school, and some of high school. I used to be mocked a lot for it too, but it didn't put me off them, it added to the fact that they were the only ones that were there for me.
Over obsession is a little bit too harsh a description for being 'friends' with your Tamagotchi, I think. There are much worse cases in the world, lol. I'm not even gonna go into that. xD
I consider my Tamagotchies - all 14 of them - to be my children. I love them so dearly. I carry at least two of them around with me at all times - usually my two TMGC+C, sometimes my Music Star. I can't go anywhere without them or I feel horrible about leaving them behind where they'll get hungry and feel all alone.
I'm in my second year of university, too, by the way. I have many real friends and even a boyfriend, and they're still very dear to me.