Speed-Friending Can End the ‘Friendship Recession’
No one has found the mythical Fountain of Youth, although that hasn’t kept people from looking. Everyone is seeking a way to live longer, be happier and enjoy optimum health. The truth is, there is a simple way to accomplish all of those goals — make realtime friends and keep them.
According to the Mayo Clinic, friendship does help people boost self-confidence, lower stress, and avoid health issues like high blood pressure. But it can be difficult for adults to make new friends. Speed-friending is a new way to open doors for adults looking to expand their friendship circle.
Speed-Friending
The principle is the same as speed-dating. Usually, a social group or a venue hosts the event. Speed-friending is more relaxed than speed-dating since the stakes are lower, reported NPR. People are looking for a buddy, not a mate for life.
Saul Martinez decided to start speed-friending events at his restaurant, Cafe Con Arte, in Pasco, Washington after his niece moved to town and wanted to make new friends. He was realistic about her prospects.
“ Finding one good friend or acquaintance here is really the hope, right? You don’t expect to walk away with 17 new friends,” Martinez told NPR.
At Café Con Atre, Martinez asks a question to break the ice. Each person has a minute to answer. Then they switch tables. The format gives the pair something to talk about, and a timeframe before they meet a new person.
Shintell Izquierdo was one of 20 people at the café’s speed-friending evening. She told NPR,” It was very good for my soul. To be able to meet new people and to have conversations I don’t think I would’ve had otherwise.”
For Women Only
In London, Gurl PWR, Gofrendly, and Bumble BFF host speed-friending events for women only, according to Cosmopolitan.
Nicole Elizabeth, the founder of Gurl PWR told Cosmopolitan she was inspired to start events for women by the “magical energy” she felt at a party she held for her close female friends.
The decision was reinforced at a less happy evening. “I was at a club night for my friend’s birthday,” she explained. “I was harassed by some men and had a really upsetting experience. [So] I decided to host my own, women-only events where girls can meet up, meet new women, and feel safe doing so.”
Experts across the globe agree that the COVID pandemic and move to online-based interactions has created a friendship recession. Speed-friending has the power to turn the recession around. It offers a safe, supportive way to move back into the world of personal interaction and find the friendships everyone needs to enjoy a healthy, satisfying life.
