Consider The Possibility Of Getting Closer To Your Friends IRL

Social media has made it easy (if not inevitable) to stay in contact with your circle of friends and family, humanity is becoming more isolated in the real world.

Studies show that adults have a diminishing number of friends they see on a regular basis, and the pandemic only made things worse.

That’s why some people are rethinking where and how they live in an effort to be closer to those they actually want to spend time with.

Getting back to basics

In a recent piece published in The Atlantic, writer Adrienne Matei explored her own journey through COVID-19 and explained that she saw it as a wake-up call to prioritize the things that mean most in life — particularly the relationships she has developed with her friends.

As Matei gave the subject more thought, she realized that nothing is preventing her (or any of us) from relocating closer to our friends.

“Doing so would likely involve a lot of effort on the front end, but the resulting community could pay emotional dividends for years,” she wrote.

From dropping by for dinner to hanging out on the spur of the moment, Matei determined that close proximity has a lot of built-in benefits.

Reimagining family

In recent generations, America and societies across much of the Western world have prioritized the so-called “nuclear family,” where parents and kids live together under one roof. While there’s certainly nothing inherently wrong with such an arrangement, it’s not the only option out there.

Many cultures still prioritize multiple generations living together, while the thought of friends going in together to rent — or even purchase — a residence is gaining traction even beyond the young adult years.

The bottom line is that if you want to be closer to your friends, then do something about it!

Chris Agee March 11th, 2023

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