As people get older, finding spare time to visit with friends can become difficult. With more and more responsibilities like work and family, many people struggle to keep up with their friendships. Luckily, there are lots of impactful ways to keep in touch with friends.
Keeping in Touch
Often, people worry about making new friends when they go out, whether it’s trying to find ways to meet friends in the new workplace or finding a new crowd to get involved with. Yet once they have new friends, they might forget to keep up with those friends and lose the connection altogether. In other cases, some people see loads of people throughout their day but struggle to make time to see some of their closest friends. While making new friends is always fun, the true connection most seek is in friendships that have trust and depth, and this generally takes time.
The comfort of talking to an old friend is an irreplaceable feeling and replenishes the sense of self many people yearn for in their daily lives. That’s because these relationships let people be themselves in ways that they can’t in front of family and coworkers, providing them with an outlet to express emotions, and experiment with new ideas.
In fact, time with friends improves physical and mental health. That’s because being around trustworthy people releases stress and actually reverses its effects, making people feel cared for and safe. This boosts the immune system and helps bodies and minds fight against illnesses, providing people with the energy they need to get up in the morning.
As time moves on, friends gain more responsibilities, move away from each other, or have different schedules that never seem to be in sync. However, that doesn’t mean time with friends is gone forever. It just means that time has to be managed differently for it to work.
Here are a few solutions to maintain friendships.
Art Projects
Even if no one in the group considers themselves creative, coming together to work on an artistic project gets people talking and thinking in ways that go outside of their normal routines. There are lots of craft projects that can still be useful once the night has ended, like mason jar picture frames or DIY fringe chandeliers. Of course, art ideas don’t have to be based on home improvement crafts. Other interesting creative projects to do with friends might include writing a story, building a sculpture, or making clothes together. As long as the project inspires enthusiasm and excitement to meet again, any idea will work wonders.
Game Night
Getting together to play games also gets people excited to get out and see their friends. Compared to art projects, playing games is a more flexible option for long-distance friendships. In fact, in the age of the internet, the distance between friends takes a backseat. More and more people are gathering online to play games with friends when they can’t see them out and about. Some websites have even made it so that friend groups can create private clubs where they can play their favorite games together. When it comes to group games like poker, this is especially useful. Friend groups can create their own club name, lobby, and tournaments, so online poker with friends has a personalized feel to it. Players can earn reward points too, so it’s a lot like playing at a friend’s poker table. For friends who have a competitive edge, it’ll be easy to round everybody up to play.
Potlucks
Like game night, where everybody loves a friendly match, the promise of good food gets people motivated. Considering the fact that old friends cook dishes close to our hearts, potlucks can be especially healing to attend. They’re also fun to do with friends who aren’t as close because it helps others understand who they are. As the saying goes, “you are what you eat!” Probably the most appealing thing about a potluck is that the main rule is to keep it simple, so no stress is involved in the making of the meal. It’s also a great way to enjoy lots of different dishes, exchange recipes, and learn new things to cook at home.
