essay make new friends

The Hard Work of Making New Friends

Illustration via Getty Images.

By Toby Lowenfels

I spent my 30s in Los Angeles, working in the entertainment industry, but the second I started having kids, I felt the urge to be with family. More specifically, I wanted my mom – and that meant moving back to my hometown of Nashville. It’s been a year now, and though my family is somewhat settled, I’m still finding my footing with friends: how to meet new ones, and how to reconnect with the ones I had as a kid. What I hadn’t realized was how daunting this would all be. 

The pandemic built distance between us all, in a very literal sense. For the most part, my close friends remain, but casual friendships were cut loose. We simply lost touch. Now it feels harder than ever to make connections without putting in effort that feels…embarrassing. Women, especially parents, need friends more than ever, but how do you make new friends, or sustain the friendships you have, in your 40s? 

After living away from my hometown for 20 years, I found I had a lot to catch up on. And thanks to the pandemic, my social skills were not in check. One morning, I met up with a woman who was introduced to me by a mutual friend. I’d just had a cup of coffee and an argument with my husband; she got an earful and I never heard from her again. I texted to apologize for oversharing and she left me on read. Strike out. 

Since then, I’ve learned that making new friends takes moxie and that you cannot worry about what others will think. If I like a woman, I go for it. Life is too short, you know? Recently, I clicked with another mom on the playground, then somewhat aggressively invited myself to her Oscars party. I showed up and was immediately dropped into a close-knit group of warm, intelligent women who’d been friends for decades. It was such a relief to be with women, sharing with women. You crave this kind of female connection when you’re a new mom, and I’m finding myself looking for it again as I approach middle age. But that kind of friendship is hard earned over many years. I left with a longing. 

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Because the truth is, most people don’t want to make new friends. It takes a lot of effort. Actually, it’s exhausting. Those who never left town are settled in their routines and already have their friends. And while it’s hard to break into those sorts of tight-knit groups, I have found luck connecting with other women like me who’ve recently relocated. I joined a book club. I go for walks with my neighbor. I meet up for coffee with women I click with over Instagram and try not to blurt out all my problems right away. And I’m thrilled to have found a hairdresser I consider a friend (that’s a guaranteed catchup at least every five weeks, plus we actually hang out outside the salon now). 

As I try to forge new friendships, I’m realizing that old friends truly are the best and it’s worth every ounce of effort to hold on to them, no matter where they live. When I turned 40 this spring, I felt pressure to make a big deal out of it. Every time I opened my social feeds, I saw girls' trips. But my friends are scattered all over the country and I had decision fatigue when it came to gathering everyone. Instead, I invited my best friend from college to visit and we spent the weekend laughing and talking and crying. (I’m really fun, I swear!) We’d gone months without texting or picking up the phone to chat. Turns out, we’d both let a lot fall through the cracks when it came to staying in touch. We promised to do better.

Maybe because of this, my most consistent friendship takes place over group chat. Three of us met in a baby group when we were living in LA, with little-to-nothing in common except that we were new moms and didn’t know what we were doing. Now we all live in separate cities and text each other all day long. Sometimes, I’ll go to bed early and wake up to 50 texts between the other two women. The constant contact allows us to maintain our intimacy. 

Women are often taught about how important romantic relationships are in their lives (we grew up on Disney movies, after all) but as you get older you start to realize the importance of friends. Friendship is its own sort of romance. Paradoxically, this realization often happens when it's harder than ever to make or keep friends because we’re often spread out (particularly true of our generation, one of the most mobile ) and busy with our own responsibilities. But maintaining and growing friendships is vital and being isolated is a drag. We know that now more than ever.

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How to Make Friends as an Adult

Sherri Gordon, CLC is a published author, certified professional life coach, and bullying prevention expert. She's also the former editor of Columbus Parent and has countless years of experience writing and researching health and social issues.

Carly Snyder, MD is a reproductive and perinatal psychiatrist who combines traditional psychiatry with integrative medicine-based treatments.

 Verywell / Hilary Allison

Why Friends Matter in Adulthood

Have the right mindset to make new friends.

• Where To Find Friends
• Maintaining Friendships

Remember how easy it was to make friends in elementary school? All you had to do was go up to someone and ask them to check out the cool bug you just found or join you on the swings. Not only were you less worried about being rejected, but you also weren't as picky about who you were hanging out with. And it certainly didn't hurt that you had daily opportunities to interact with other kids.

Once you reach adulthood the same rules don't apply. Our lives (and personalities) are far more complicated, and while we might spend time around our "peers" they may not be the type of people we'd actually get along with. Not to mention the fear of rejection which hits a lot harder than it did when you were a kid.

Cultivating friendships also takes a lot of time, something most of us a short on these days. While it might seem easier to just lament the fact that your friend group is shrinking, there are actually plenty of ways to make friends as an adult—some more obvious than others.

Research shows that after the age of 25, most adult friendships start to dwindle. Of course, some of this has to do with changing jobs , getting married, moving , and even having children.

Forming meaningful relationships may become harder as you get older, but it's well worth the effort. Good friendships have a myriad of benefits, including:

• Better immune functioning
• Decreased risk of disease, illness, and injury
• Increased longevity
• Reduced stress
• Speedier recovery when sick

When it comes to making friends as an adult, it's important to be positive and proactive. If you go into the process thinking that you are never going to make friends, you probably won't. And if you leave your social life up to chance, you probably won't see results either.

Are You a Likable Person? Take the Quiz

This fast, free quiz can help give you insight into whether or not you possess traits that could make you more or less likable to potential new friends.

This likeable person quiz was medically reviewed by Sabrina Romanoff, PsyD .

Focus on Being Open

Don't overthink the process of making friends. Instead of worrying about being rejected, or dwelling on the fact that you might not be fun enough, channel your inner child. Be open to meeting new people and having new experiences.

Don't assume that all your future friends have to be of the same gender, age, or ethnic background as you. Instead, be open and inviting, and see what happens when you expand your horizons.

Make a List of Potential Friends

Almost every person has one or two people who would like to get to know better in their life. Make a list of people you might like to hang out with sometimes. Remember, making friends takes work, and someone needs to take the initiative. After you have your list, consider extending an invitation for coffee and see what happens.

Put It On the Calendar

Let's face it. Everyone is busy. And despite your best intentions, if you don't schedule it, you likely won't do anything about making more friends.

To prevent this, set aside time to call the person from your book club that you really connect with. Decide when you will ask that friend from the office to join you for appetizers after work. The key is to schedule these initial contacts because you will keep putting them off if you don't.

Accept Invitations

Yes, you are tired, busy, and over-scheduled. But if someone invites you to do something, try to make it happen! If you have social anxiety , do your best to remember that this person invited you to get together because they like you and want to get to know you better.

Of course, if you cannot afford something or are sick, definitely decline the invite. But make an effort to do something else together instead. Even if you don't know the person very well, accepting invitations is a great opportunity to open doors and expand your friendship opportunities.

Try New Things

When you are looking to make friends, it's important to expand your horizons and try new things. You never know; you might just enjoy these new adventures. Plus, it will open up the possibility of making friends in new and excitingplaces.

So take an art class or a rock climbing course. You might not be the only one stepping out of their comfort zone, and that in and of itself can be something to bond over.

Seek Out New Friends

Part of the challenge of making new friends is knowing where to look. Too many times, people assume that there are just no potential friends out there. But the problem is not the lack of opportunities for friendships, but the inability to put forth the effort to find them.

Leverage Your Social Media Accounts

The purpose of social media is to connect people. Whether they live far away or you haven't seen them since high school, your social media accounts are ripe with opportunities to make friends. Of course, you are technically already "friends" with them online, but if you see a friend post about something you are interested in, reach out and make a connection.

You also can use social media to organize get-togethers. For instance, if you want to host a poker night, post something on your social media account to see who might be interested.

Reach Out to Neighbors

Many people don't realize they have a potential friend living right next door or across the street. They give the courtesy wave and immediately close their door, not even trying to start a conversation. But there may be some really great friendships waiting for you right next door. So the next time you are both out, do more than just wave.

Connect With Co-Workers

You spend a large portion of your life with your co-workers. And even though you are in a professional setting, you likely know a great deal about one another.

Whether or not you are working in the same physical space, consider inviting one of your co-workers to do something non-work-related when it's safe to do so. For instance, suggest you attend a baseball game together or grab dinner after work. Or, if you share a passion for something like yoga or cooking, suggest you do it together.

Join a Gym or Sports Team

It seems kind of cliché to suggest meeting people at the gym. But people do it all the time. Consider joining a gym or an adult recreational league.

You can also see if your workplace, city parks department, or place of worship has a team you’re interested in (softball, soccer, kickball, bowling, tennis) and sign up.

The next time you are in Zumba class, or you're walking on the treadmill, strike up a casual conversation with the person next to you. Who knows? You might have the beginnings of a great friendship in the making.

Attend a Meet-Up or Networking Event

Whether you work from home or go into an office every day, meet-ups and other networking events are a great way to meet new people. Not only are these events filled with people looking to connect with other professionals, but they also are great places to meet people who share the same passions. You can learn about these types of get-togethers through apps like Meetup and Eventbrite.

Join a Club

If you love to read, joining a local book club is a great way to meet potential new friends. What's more, you will get to know each other on a much deeper level when discussing a book. Even if you don't meet your future best friend in your book club, at the very least, you will have a group of people that you can mingle with every month.

Your public library or local bookstore is the perfect place to start looking for book clubs near you. Or, if you can't find a book club in your area, you can always start your own.

If books aren't your thing, look for or start a movie club, cooking club, or hiking club. Whatever hobby you enjoy, others probably enjoy it too, and that makes for a natural starting point for a friendship.

Get Involved at Your Place of Worship

Whether you are active in a church or haven't been to one in years, churches, mosques, and synagogues are a great way to meet people who share your faith. Plus, there are usually a lot of opportunities for involvement. Whether it is a study group, a volunteer opportunity, or a weekly potluck, places of worship are ideal for meeting new people and making friends.

Volunteering your time and energy is a great way to improve your feelings of gratitude. Volunteer regularly and you're bound to meet people who share some of your core values and who would make good friends.

Many communities have a volunteer resource center that keeps listings of volunteer opportunities, so you can find something that is a good fit.

Maintain Your Friendships

After you have established a few connections, it's important to stay in contact . Friendships are like plants. If you don't water them regularly, they will die.

So make sure you are regularly reaching out to your new friends. Call or text consistently just to see how they are doing. Ask about their lives. Show an interest in the things that are important to them. A good friend doesn't make the friendship all about their needs; but also takes an active interest in the other person.

Bhattacharya K, Ghosh A, Monsivais D, Dunbar RIM, Kaski K. Sex differences in social focus across the life cycle in humans . R Soc Open Sci . 2016;3(4):160097. doi:10.1098/rsos.160097

Fehr B, Harasymchuk C. The role of friendships in well-being . In Maddux JE, ed.  Subjective Well-being and Life Satisfaction . Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group, 2018.

By Sherri Gordon Sherri Gordon, CLC is a published author, certified professional life coach, and bullying prevention expert. She's also the former editor of Columbus Parent and has countless years of experience writing and researching health and social issues.

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Why are friends so important?

What to look for in a friend.

• Tips for being more friendly and social (even if you're shy)

How to make new friends: Where to start

Turning acquaintances into friends, overcoming obstacles to making friends, for better friendships, be a better friend yourself, making good friends.

Looking to build new friendships? These tips can help you meet people, start a conversation, and cultivate healthy connections that will improve your life and well-being.

Our society tends to place an emphasis on romantic relationships. We think that just finding that right person will make us happy and fulfilled. But research shows that friends are actually even more important to our psychological welfare. Friends bring more happiness into our lives than virtually anything else.

Friendships have a huge impact on your mental health and happiness. Good friends relieve stress, provide comfort and joy, and prevent loneliness and isolation. Developing close friendships can also have a powerful impact on your physical health. Lack of social connection may pose as much of a risk as smoking, drinking too much, or leading a sedentary lifestyle. Friends are even tied to longevity. One Swedish study found that, along with physical activity, maintaining a rich network of friends can add significant years to your life.

But close friendships don’t just happen. Many of us struggle to meet people and develop quality connections. Whatever your age or circumstances, though, it’s never too late to make new friends, reconnect with old ones, and greatly improve your social life, emotional health, and overall well-being.

The benefits of friendships

While developing and maintaining friendships takes time and effort, healthy friendships can:

Improve your mood. Spending time with happy and positive friends can elevate your mood and boost your outlook.

Help you to reach your goals. Whether you’re trying to get fit, give up smoking, or otherwise improve your life, encouragement from a friend can really boost your willpower and increase your chances of success.

Reduce your stress and depression. Having an active social life can bolster your immune system and help reduce isolation, a major contributing factor to depression.

Support you through tough times. Even if it’s just having someone to share your problems with, friends can help you cope with serious illness, the loss of a job or loved one, the breakup of a relationship, or any other challenges in life.

Support you as you age. As you age, retirement , illness, and the death of loved ones can often leave you isolated. Knowing there are people you can turn to for company and support can provide purpose as you age and serve as a buffer against depression, disability, hardship and loss.

Boost your self-worth. Friendship is a two-way street, and the “give” side of the give-and-take contributes to your own sense of self-worth. Being there for your friends makes you feel needed and adds purpose to your life.

Why online friends aren’t enough

Technology has shifted the definition of friendship in recent years. With the click of a button, we can add a friend or make a new connection. But having hundreds of online friends is not the same as having a close friend you can spend time with in person.

Online friends can’t hug you when a crisis hits, visit you when you’re sick, or celebrate a happy occasion with you. Our most important and powerful connections happen when we’re face-to-face. So make it a priority to stay in touch in the real world, not just online.

A friend is someone you trust and with whom you share a deep level of understanding and communication. A good friend will:

• Show a genuine interest in what’s going on in your life, what you have to say, and how you think and feel.
• Accept you for who you are.
• Listen to you attentively without judging you, telling you how to think or feel, or trying to change the subject.
• Feel comfortable sharing things about themselves with you.

As friendship works both ways, a friend is also someone you feel comfortable supporting and accepting, and someone with whom you share a bond of trust and loyalty.

Focus on the way a friendship feels, not what it looks like

The most important quality in a friendship is the way the relationship makes you feel—not how it looks on paper, how alike you seem on the surface, or what others think. Ask yourself:

• Do I feel better after spending time with this person?
• Am I myself around this person?
• Do I feel secure, or do I feel like I have to watch what I say and do?
• Is the person supportive and am I treated with respect?
• Is this a person I can trust?

The bottom line: if the friendship feels good, it is good. But if a person tries to control you, criticizes you, abuses your generosity, or brings unwanted drama or negative influences into your life, it’s time to re-evaluate the friendship. A good friend does not require you to compromise your values, always agree with them, or disregard your own needs.

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Tips for being more friendly and social (even if you’re shy)

If you are introverted or shy , it can feel uncomfortable to put yourself out there socially. But you don’t have to be naturally outgoing or the life of the party to make new friends.

Focus on others, not yourself. The key to connecting to other people is by showing interest in them. When you’re truly interested in someone else’s thoughts, feelings, experiences, and opinions, it shows—and they’ll like you for it. You’ll make far more friends by showing your interest rather than trying to get people interested in you. If you’re not genuinely curious about the other person, then stop trying to connect.

[Read: Dealing with Loneliness and Shyness]

Pay attention. Switch off your smartphone, avoid other distractions, and make an effort to truly listen to the other person. By paying close attention to what they say, do, and how they interact, you’ll quickly get to know them. Small efforts go a long way, such as remembering someone’s preferences, the stories they’ve told you, and what’s going on in their life.

Evaluating interest

Friendship takes two, so it’s important to evaluate whether the other person is looking for new friends.

• Do they ask you questions about you, as if they’d like to get to know you better?
• Do they tell you things about themselves beyond surface small talk?
• Do they give you their full attention when you see them?
• Does the other person seem interested in exchanging contact information or making specific plans to get together?

If you can’t answer “yes” to these questions, the person may not be the best candidate for friendship now, even if they genuinely like you. There are many possible reasons why not, so don’t take it personally!

We tend to make friends with people we cross paths with regularly: people we go to school with, work with, or live close to. The more we see someone, the more likely a friendship is to develop. So, look at the places you frequent as you start your search for potential friends.

Another big factor in friendship is common interests. We tend to be drawn to people who are similar, with a shared hobby, cultural background, career path, or kids the same age. Think about activities you enjoy or the causes you care about. Where can you meet people who share the same interests?

Meeting new people

When looking to meet new people, try to open yourself up to new experiences. Not everything you try will lead to success but you can always learn from the experience and hopefully have some fun.

Volunteering can be a great way to help others while also meeting new people. Volunteering also gives you the opportunity to regularly practice and develop your social skills.

[Read: Volunteering and its Surprising Benefits]

Take a class or join a club to meet people with common interests, such as a book group, dinner club, or sports team. Websites such as Meetup.com can help you find local groups (or start your own) and connect with others who share similar interests.

Connect with your alumni association . Many colleges have alumni associations that meet regularly. You already have the college experience in common; bringing up old times makes for an easy conversation starter. Some associations also sponsor community service events or workshops where you can meet more people.

Walk a dog. Dog owners often stop and chat while their dogs sniff or play with each other. If dog ownership isn’t right for you, volunteer to walk dogs from a shelter or a local rescue group.

Attend art gallery openings, book readings, lectures, music recitals, or other community events where you can meet people with similar interests. Check with your library or local paper for events near you.

Behave like someone new to the area. Even if you’ve lived in the same place all your life, take the time to re-explore your neighborhood attractions. New arrivals to any town or city tend to visit these places first—and they’re often keen to meet new people and establish friendships, too.

Cheer on your team. Going to a bar alone can seem intimidating, but if you support a sports team, find out where other fans go to watch the games. You automatically have a shared interest—your team—which makes it natural to start up a conversation.

Take a moment to unplug . It’s difficult to meet new people in any social situation if you’re more interested in your phone than the people around you. Remove your headphones and put your smartphone away while you’re in the checkout line or waiting for a bus, for example. Making eye contact and exchanging small talk with strangers is great practice for making connections—and you never know where it may lead!

We all have acquaintances in our life—people we exchange small talk with as we go about our day or trade jokes or insights with online. While these relationships can fulfill you in their own right, with some effort, you can turn a casual acquaintance into a true friend.

The first step is to open up a little about yourself. Friendships are characterized by intimacy. True friends know about each other’s values, struggles, goals, and interests. So, try sharing something a little bit more personal than you would normally. You don’t have to reveal your most closely-held secret, just something a little more revealing than talking about the weather or something you watched on TV and see how the other person responds. Do they seem interested? Do they reciprocate by disclosing something about themselves?

Other tips for strengthening an acquaintance into a friend:

Invite a casual acquaintance out for a drink or to a movie . Lots of other people feel just as uncomfortable about reaching out and making new friends as you do. Be the one to break the ice. Take the first step and reach out to a neighbor or work colleague, for example—they will thank you later.

Carpool to work . Many companies offer carpool programs. If your employer doesn’t, simply ask a colleague if they’d like to share rides. Spending regular time together is a great way to get to know others better and offers the opportunity for uninterrupted and deeper conversation.

Track down old friends via social media . It’s easy to lose track of friends when you move or change jobs, for example. Make the effort to reconnect and then turn your “online” friends into “real-world” friends by meeting up for coffee instead of chatting on Facebook or Twitter.

Is something stopping you from building the friendships you’d like to have? Here are some common obstacles—and how you can overcome them.

If you’re too busy…

Developing and maintaining friendships takes time and effort, but even with a packed schedule, you can find ways to make the time for friends.

Put it on your calendar. Schedule time for your friends just as you would for errands. Make it automatic with a weekly or monthly standing appointment. Or simply make sure that you never leave a get-together without setting the next date.

Mix business and pleasure. Figure out a way to combine your socializing with activities that you have to do anyway.  These could include going to the gym, getting a pedicure, or shopping. Errands create an opportunity to spend time together while still being productive.

Group it. If you truly don’t have time for multiple one-on-one sessions with friends, set up a group get-together. It’s a good way to introduce your friends to each other. Of course, you’ll need to consider if everyone’s compatible first.

If you’re afraid of rejection…

Making new friends means putting yourself out there, and that can be scary. It’s especially intimidating if you’re someone who’s been betrayed, traumatized, or abused in the past, or someone with an insecure attachment bond. But by working with the right therapist , you can explore ways to build trust in existing and future friendships.

For more general insecurities or a fear of rejection, it helps to evaluate your attitude. Do you feel as if any rejection will haunt you forever or prove that you’re unlikeable or destined to be friendless? These fears get in the way of making satisfying connections and become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Nobody likes to be rejected, but there are healthy ways to handle it:

• Just because someone isn’t interested in talking or hanging out doesn’t automatically mean they’re rejecting you as a person. They may be busy, distracted, or have other things going on.
• If someone does reject you, that doesn’t mean that you’re worthless or unlovable. Maybe they’re having a bad day. Maybe they misread you or misinterpreted what you said. Or maybe they’re just not a nice person!
• You’re not going to like everyone you meet, and vice versa. Like dating, building a solid network of friends can be a numbers game. If you’re in the habit of regularly exchanging a few words with strangers you meet, rejections are less likely to hurt. There’s always the next person. Focus on the long-term goal of making quality connections, rather than getting hung up on the ones that didn’t pan out.
• Keep rejection in perspective. It never feels good, but it’s rarely as bad as you imagine. It’s unlikely that others are sitting around talking about it. Instead of beating yourself up, give yourself credit for trying and see what you can learn from the experience.

Making a new friend is just the beginning of the journey. Friendships take time to form and even more time to deepen, so you need to nurture that new connection.

Be the friend that you would like to have. Treat your friend just as you want them to treat you. Be reliable, thoughtful, trustworthy, and willing to share yourself and your time.

Be a good listener. Be prepared to listen to and support friends just as you want them to listen to and support you.

Give your friend space. Don’t be too clingy or needy. Everyone needs space to be alone or spend time with other people as well.

Don’t set too many rules and expectations. Instead, allow your friendship to evolve naturally. You’re both unique individuals so your friendship probably won’t develop exactly as you expect.

Be forgiving. No one is perfect and every friend will make mistakes. No friendship develops smoothly so when there’s a bump in the road, try to find a way to overcome the problem and move on. It will often deepen the bond between you.

More Information

• Copeland, M. E. (n.d.). Making and Keeping Friends—A Self-Help Guide (SMA-3716; p. 11). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS). Retrieved August 4, 2021, from Link
• Is well-being associated with the quantity and quality of social interactions? – PsycNET. (n.d.). Retrieved August 3, 2021, from Link
• Hall, J. A. (2019). How many hours does it take to make a friend? Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 36(4), 1278–1296. Link
• Chopik, W. J. (2017). Associations among relational values, support, health, and well-being across the adult lifespan. Personal Relationships, 24(2), 408–422. Link

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Home — Essay Samples — Sociology — Friendship — Making Friends And The Importance Of Friendship

Making Friends and The Importance of Friendship

• Categories: Friendship

About this sample

Words: 1035 |

Published: Feb 8, 2022

Words: 1035 | Pages: 2 | 6 min read

Table of contents

Friendship essay outline, friendship essay example, introduction.

• The importance of making friends in life

Types of Friends

• The value of having diverse types of friends
• The positive impacts of different types of friends on one's life

Polar Opposite Friend

• The benefits of having a friend who is a polar opposite
• Encouragement to try new things and gain new perspectives
• Creating a balance in the friendship

Builder Friend

• The role of a builder friend in providing support and guidance
• Trustworthiness and honesty in the relationship
• Pushing you to achieve your goals and dreams

Best Friend

• The unique bond and connection with a best friend
• Honesty, emotional support, and no-judgment zone
• Unconditional love and encouragement to be a better person
• The importance of surrounding oneself with supportive and caring friends
• The impact of friendships on personal growth and happiness

Works Cited:

• Baker, E. D. (1989). "Symbolism in Eudora Welty's 'A Worn Path.'" In E. D. Jones (Ed.), Masterplots II: Short Story Series (Vol. 7, pp. 3925-3927). Salem Press.
• Cowart, D. (1984). "Phoenix Has No Coat: Historicity, Eschatology, and Scapegoating in 'A Worn Path.'" Studies in Short Fiction, 21(1), 45-56.
• Duvall, J. D. (2004). "Overview of 'A Worn Path'." In Short Stories for Students (Vol. 19, pp. 1-15). Gale.
• Evans, R. C. (1973). "The Art of 'A Worn Path.'" The Southern Review, 9(1), 101-108.
• Friedmann, M. (1990). "The Inverted World of Eudora Welty's 'A Worn Path.'" College Language Association Journal, 33(3), 282-289.
• Gaudet, M. (1989). "Life and Death in Eudora Welty's 'A Worn Path.'" In E. D. Jones (Ed.), Masterplots II: Short Story Series (Vol. 7, pp. 3922-3925). Salem Press.
• Grimsley, R. (1984). "Eudora Welty's 'A Worn Path': The Eternal Quest of Welty's Phoenix Jackson." Mississippi Quarterly, 37(4), 539-550.
• Korb, R. (2017). "A Worn Path." In Masterpieces of American Short Fiction (pp. 222-228). Greenwood Press.
• Moreland, R. (2010). "Eudora Welty's 'A Worn Path' and the Slave Narrative Tradition." The Southern Literary Journal, 43(2), 15-26.
• Smith, E. A. (1984). "The Journey of Life: Symbolism in Eudora Welty's 'A Worn Path.'" The Mississippi Quarterly, 37(2), 231-239.

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How to Make Friends On the Internet

• Sulagna Misra

Some of the greatest friendships have started with a retweet.

The internet is deeply interwoven into our everyday lives. More and more people are using social media to share their work, explore the work of others, and even make meaningful friendships. Here are some dos and don’ts for (safely) making friends online:

• Do: Choose the platforms and communities that you care about. Don’t: Be everywhere.
• Do: Be kind and compassionate. Don’t be super honest (like in a mean way).
• Do: Connect with people you like. Don’t: Connect with everyone — especially the haters.
• Do: Build on connections that bring out your best. Don’t: Engage with people who bring out your worst.
• Do: Be open to making plans to hangout online or in-person. Don’t: Think that because this is someone you met online, the friendship isn’t important.

Where your work meets your life. See more from Ascend here .

Have you ever made a friend online?

• SM Sulagna Misra is a freelance writer who has written for  Vanity Fair, Elle, GQ, Nylon, The Toast, New York Magazine,  and  many more publications . She has worked for companies such as GoFundMe and Netflix, among others. You can follow her on Twitter @sulagnamisra .

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The Importance of Friendship

Friendships are a crucial part of living a fulfilling life..

Posted July 26, 2021 | Reviewed by Ekua Hagan

• Friendship makes life more enjoyable and enriches one's everyday experiences.
• Finding friends can be challenging but can be often achieved by approaching others with mutual interests.
• The first criteria one should look for in a partner is someone who is ultimately a good friend to them.

As we move through life, we find that there are many things out of our control. We can’t choose our parents, our genetics , or control the things that happen in the world around us. One thing that we can control is who our friends are, and this decision can either make our lives so much richer and beautiful, or more stressful and disappointing. Today we’ll focus on how to choose friends who enrich our lives and make them more beautiful.

Why friends are so important

Having solid friendships is important for two main reasons. First, they make life more enjoyable. We get to share the beautiful aspects of life with people who we love, which can enrich our everyday experiences. Second, our friends help us through the difficult times. Having friends to support us through hard times can make unimaginably difficult situations seem more tolerable.

The most beautiful part about pouring our time and energy into friendships is that not only do friends help enrich our lives, but we enrich theirs too! Friendships get us through the tough times in life, make things more fun and enjoyable, and all-around make our lives better. I urge you to take stock of your friendships and ask yourself if your current friends people build you up and support you, or is the friendship more one-sided?

As we explore friendships today, these are also inclusive of our partners. I believe that the foundation for any healthy relationship is friendship. So it’s important to group our romantic partners into this conversation too.

So, where do we find friends? This might sound silly, but finding friends can be challenging! When I first moved to California for my Ph.D., I didn’t have any friends out here. There were quite a few people in my program that I enjoyed spending time with. But, towards the end of school, they became very busy and were no longer able to dedicate time to hang out anymore. Thankfully, through the help of a very good therapist, I learned that it was important to enjoy life instead of striving for excellence all of the time. As a result, I learned how important it was to carve out time in my life for friends.

Unfortunately, the people I had dedicated time to thus far were achievement-oriented and were pouring their time into work and not our friendships. This forced me to seek out other ways to form connections with people. I ended up finding a local hiking group with the hopes of meeting people with similar interests. During one of these hikes, I met Jim, one of my best friends to this day.

We became instant friends. We have continued to support each other over the years, and even more importantly, we always make time for one another. We both view the friendship as one that makes each other’s lives better, therefore it’s always worth the time and energy. The backbone of any successful friendship is one where both sides put in equal effort and support.

Both Jim and I were forced to put in more effort when he moved across the country to the East Coast. Because we already had such a strong foundation, this didn’t impact our friendship. We talk all of the time and see each other several times a year. We make the relationship a priority no matter what coast each other is on. Like anything in life that is valuable to us, we must work at it and put time and effort into it.

When it's time to move on from a friendship

The second part of the friendship discussion can be a difficult one — reassessing your current friendships and potentially moving on from friends who don’t add value to your life.

Two of my best friends from high school went down different paths from me. We still keep in contact, but I don’t spend too much time with them anymore. The supporting, loving part of our relationship wasn’t there anymore, so it was no longer worth putting energy into maintaining a friendship that had changed so much.

This may be a story you can relate to. What I hope you take away from this post is this — friendships take energy, time, and commitment. And if you’re putting your time and energy into someone who isn’t enriching your life and giving you the support you need, it may be time to reevaluate that friendship.

If you find yourself in the market for friends (who isn’t?) I recommend you find groups or activities that you genuinely enjoy. This way you’ll have the opportunity to connect with people who have similar interests. And once you’re there, take a risk! Talk to people, exchange contact information, and follow up with them. It may feel scary at first, but the reward outweighs the momentary uncomfortable feeling you may have.

Friendship and dating

In many ways, the most important friendship in our lives is the one we have with our romantic partners. The first criteria we should look for in this partner is someone who is ultimately a good friend to us, meaning that they are kind, positive, loving, and supportive. If we’re dating someone and they’re a jerk, it’s probably safe to assume that they’re not a good friend. To avoid this, I recommend seeking out someone who is a good friend first, i.e. before the romance and sexual stuff gets in the way.

When there are bumps in a friendship or a romantic relationship , it’s important to work through those tough times. The tricky part is that it will take two people to fix that issue. We can only control our actions and hold ourselves accountable, but we cannot control our friend or our partner's reaction. In addition to our own actions, we have control over the friends or partners that we choose in the first place. If we prioritize choosing good people who we can trust will work through issues with us, then we can work through anything.

Friendships are a crucial part of living a fulfilling life. It’s so important that we surround ourselves with people who we have fun with, who support us, and people who make us better. You may already have beautiful friendships in your life, but if you’re still in the market for friends, it’s never too late to cultivate new relationships that will make your life even more magnificent.

Robert Puff, Ph.D. , is host and producer of the Happiness Podcast, with over 16 million downloads.

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Essays About Best Friends: 5 Essay Examples and 7 Prompts

If you’re writing an essay and want to put your best friend in the spotlight, check out these essay examples on essays about best friends. 

Best friends are those with whom we have formed a deep and unique bond. What makes them remarkably special is that we chose them unlike with family. For this, some even consider their best friends to be extensions of themselves. 

We all trust our best friends wholeheartedly; that’s why they are the best people to confide in. And many of the lasting memories in our lives are those that we create with them. These memories could be filled with waves of boisterous laughter or even the most piercing pain when your friendship is tested.

Read on and find essay examples and prompts that could motivate you to write about best friends.

5 Essay Examples

1. how friendships change in adulthood by julie beck, 2. diamonds are not this girl’s best friend by courtney carver, 3. how to tell your best friend you’re in love with them – by those who have taken the plunge by sirin kale, 4. my best friend died: a real-life guide to coping by gabrielle applebury, 5. is it normal to not have a best friend by viktor sander, 7 helpful writing prompts on essays about best friends, 1. describe your best friend, 2. hanging out with your best friend , 3. long distance friendship, 4. cutting off toxic best friends, 5. falling in love with your best friend, 6. famous literary friendships, 7. a dog is a man’s best friend.

“Hanging out with a set of lifelong best friends can be annoying, because the years of inside jokes and references often make their communication unintelligible to outsiders. But this sort of shared language is part of what makes friendships last.”

The above essay delves into the evolution of friendship throughout the different stages of our lives, from childhood and teen years to family life and retirement. While we have all deferred a meetup with friends several times to attend to family and work, many people still treat their friendship as stable and continuous, even in long lapses in communication. 

You might also find these essays about camping trips helpful.

“My best friend is a magical, rooftop sunrise. My best friend is the ocean. My best friend is a hike in the mountains. My best friend is a peaceful afternoon. My best friend is a really good book. My best friend is laughter. My best friend is seeing the world. My best friend is time with people I love.”

This essay takes on a broader definition of a “best friend,” deriving from Marilyn Monroe’s famous quote: “Diamond are a girl’s best friend.” From having excessive material wants for every occasion, the author realizes that the greatest “friends” in life are not material things but the simple joys that nature and love can bring.

“It was supposed to go the way things do in the movies. Nora would tell her best friend that she loved him, he would feel the same way and then they would kiss – preferably in the rain. So when the 30-year-old arts manager declared her love for her best friend when they were still teenagers, she expected a happy ending.”

Check out these essays about beauty .

The essay by Srirn Kale treats its readers to compelling stories of best friends ending up in marriage and those parting ways because of unrequited love. But, before taking the bold step of declaring your love for your best friend, a relationship guru advises lovers first to read the signs that signal any reciprocity of these deep feelings. 

“Losing a best friend may be one of the most difficult and heartbreaking experiences you have in your lifetime. If you aren’t sure how to process that your best friend died, know that there are many healthy options when it comes to coping with this type of loss.”

Coping with losing a best friend could lead to depression or even suicidal thoughts, especially if your best friend means the world to you. Some coping tips include journaling your grieving process to understand your emotions and confusion better and doing things that can relive your best friend’s memories. 

“If you are happy with the friends you currently have, there’s no need to try making a best friend for the sake of it. You might have friends but no best friend; that’s perfectly OK. It’s not necessary to have a BFF.” 

Not everyone has a best friend. Some would find this fact hard to believe, but a YouGov survey has shown that 1 in 5 of the US population claims to have no close friends. The essay, therefore, explores the reasons for this friendlessness and gives tips on building a bond with potential best friends, starting with your existing circle of acquaintances.

Check out our top writing prompts to help you celebrate and write about best friends.

Begin this essay by describing what your best friend looks like and what traits you like most about them. Then, given these qualities, would you consider your best friend a role model? Your essay can also answer how similar you and your best friend are and what things you both agree on. But if you have more differences than similarities, write how you deal with them or put them aside.

In this essay, describe your favorite ways to hang out with your best friend. What do you like doing together? Describe what a day spent with your best friend looks like and which part you like most about your dates. If your conversations draw your mutual admiration for each other, then talk about what topics make you talk for hours on end and their perspectives on things that you find fascinating.

Do different time zones make friends grow apart? Or does distance make the heart grow fonder? First, interview two to three people whose best friends moved to a different country or city. Next, learn how frequently they communicate with each other. Finally, compile these stories and make a smooth transition to each one such that the structure highlights the challenges of long-distance friendships and how each set of friends gets by. 

Discarding best friends is a hard decision. But it is also brave if you feel they are dragging you down. For this prompt, you can pose a list of questions readers can ask themselves to grasp the situation better. For example, is your friend doing you more harm than good? Have you set boundaries that they find hard to respect? Then, explain how reflecting on each question can help one determine when it is time to cut some ties loose.

Falling in love with your best friend can only end in two scenarios: a happy ever after or an end of a beautiful relationship. Expanding on our essay prompt above, list down more tips to know when it is best to confront your best friend about your feelings or work hard to quash your emotions for the continuity of the relationship.

Pick out best friends from novels that formed friendships that touched you the most. They could be Harry, Ron, Hermoine of Harry Potter, Frodo, Sam of the Lord Of The Rings, or even Sherlock and Watson From The Adventures Of Sherlock Holmes. First, describe what it is in their friendship that you find most riveting. Then, narrate events that served as the biggest tests to their friendships and how they conquered these challenges. 

What about dogs that some people find more lovable than others? Answer this in your essay by outlining the traits that make a dog the ideal best friend. For one, their loyalty makes us confident that they will not betray us. If you have a dog, write about the qualities that make your dog a reliable and fun companion. Then, narrate events when your dog proved to be your best friend. 

If you’re still stuck, check out our general resource of essay writing topics . 

If you want to ensure that your thoughts flow smoothly in your essay, check out our guide packed full of transition words for essays .

Martin is an avid writer specializing in editing and proofreading. He also enjoys literary analysis and writing about food and travel.

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Essay on Meeting New Friends

Students are often asked to write an essay on Meeting New Friends in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Meeting New Friends

Why meet new friends.

Meeting new friends is a fun and exciting part of life. It helps us learn about different cultures, traditions, and ways of life. We get to share our own experiences and learn from others. This makes us more understanding and open-minded.

Where to Meet New Friends?

There are many places to meet new friends. These include school, sports clubs, art classes, and even online platforms. The key is to be open and friendly. Always remember to respect others and their differences.

How to Make Friends?

Making friends is easy. Just be yourself and show kindness to others. Listen when they talk and show interest in their stories. Sharing common interests can also help in building a strong friendship.

Benefits of Having Friends

Friends bring joy and happiness to our lives. They support us in tough times and celebrate with us in happy moments. Friends also help us grow as individuals by teaching us new things and by challenging us.

Maintaining Friendships

To keep a friendship, it’s important to stay in touch. This could be through phone calls, messages or meeting up. It’s also important to show kindness and respect. Remember, a good friend is worth keeping!

250 Words Essay on Meeting New Friends

Why meeting new friends is important.

Meeting new friends is a fun and exciting part of life. It is important because it allows us to learn about different cultures, habits, and ideas. It also helps us to grow as a person. When we meet new people, we get to share our own ideas and experiences with them.

How to Meet New Friends

There are many ways to meet new friends. We can meet them in school, in our neighborhood, or even online. Joining clubs or sports teams, participating in community events, or volunteering are also good ways to meet new people. Always be open and kind when you meet someone new. Show genuine interest in them, ask questions, and listen to their stories.

The Joy of Meeting New Friends

Meeting new people can be very joyful. When we make new friends, we feel happy and loved. We have someone to share our joys and sorrows with. We can learn new things from them and have fun together. New friends can bring new energy and excitement into our lives.

Challenges in Meeting New Friends

Sometimes, meeting new friends can be challenging. We might feel shy or nervous. We might worry about what they will think of us. But remember, everyone feels this way at times. It’s okay to feel nervous. Just be yourself, and remember that everyone is unique and special in their own way.

In conclusion, meeting new friends is an important and joyful part of life. It can be challenging at times, but the rewards are worth it. So be brave, be open, and enjoy the wonderful experience of meeting new friends.

500 Words Essay on Meeting New Friends

Making new friends is like opening a new book; you never know what story you are about to read. It can be an exciting and joyful experience. Having new friends can bring fresh ideas, different views, and many fun times.

The First Step

The first step in making new friends is to be open to new people. This means being ready to meet different kinds of people. You can find new friends in many places, like school, clubs, or even online. It’s important to be friendly and kind. A simple smile or a friendly hello can start a conversation that may lead to a new friendship.

Getting to Know Each Other

Once you meet someone new and start talking, the next step is getting to know each other. This can take some time. You can talk about your likes, dislikes, hobbies, and more. Sharing these things can help you find common interests. Common interests can create a strong bond between friends.

Building Trust

Trust is a very important part of friendship. It takes time to build trust with a new friend. You can build trust by being honest and keeping promises. If your new friend knows they can trust you, they will feel safe sharing their thoughts and feelings with you.

Respecting Differences

Every person is unique. Your new friend may have different opinions or habits. It’s important to respect these differences. Understanding and accepting these differences can make your friendship stronger. Remember, it’s okay to disagree sometimes. It’s how we learn and grow.

The Value of New Friends

New friends can bring many good things into our lives. They can help us see things from a different point of view. They can introduce us to new hobbies or ideas. They can also provide support when we need it. Having a variety of friends can make our lives more exciting and fulfilling.

In conclusion, meeting new friends is a wonderful experience. It might seem a bit scary at first, but it’s worth it. New friends can bring joy, knowledge, and support into our lives. So, be open, be kind, and be ready to meet your next friend.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

• Essay on Meeting Dad For The First Time
• Essay on Meeting A Stranger
• Essay on Meeting A Husband

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

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How to Make New Friends at School

Last Updated: March 9, 2024 References

This article was co-authored by Ashley Pritchard, MA and by wikiHow staff writer, Amy Bobinger . Ashley Pritchard is an Academic and School Counselor at Delaware Valley Regional High School in Frenchtown, New Jersey. Ashley has over 3 years of high school, college, and career counseling experience. She has an MA in School Counseling with a specialization in Mental Health from Caldwell University and is certified as an Independent Education Consultant through the University of California, Irvine. There are 18 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 652,275 times.

If you’re new to a school or you have a tendency to be shy and introverted or tend to not get out of your comfort zone, making new friends at school might seem like a challenge. Luckily, you can overcome that challenge by looking for people with the same interests as you and by being friendly when you meet new people. Also, participate in extracurricular clubs and events whenever you get the chance, since that will help you meet people outside of class!

Identifying Potential Friends

• If you love to draw, for instance, you could register for an art class, attend art shows, or look for people who are doodling during math class.
• If you’re a passionate reader, join a book club, go to public readings, or strike up a conversation with someone who carries novels around with their textbooks.
• Ask your favorite teachers if they can recommend any academic clubs for you to join! These can include debate teams, clubs for entrepreneurs, or a math quiz team.

• When you’re around someone, you should feel comfortable acting like yourself around them. A friend should never make you feel bad for being who you are.
• You may be interested in befriending some of the most popular people in school, but if they are disrespectful to you or to others, they probably won’t be a true friend.
• You should feel like the other person supports and respects you.

• For instance, you could have your friends start meeting once a week at a local pizza place after school. Each week, encourage your friends to invite as many of their mutual friends as they want. By making it a regular occurrence, you can build new friendships gradually.
• You could also attend group events like flag football games or even study groups to meet new people.

Social Tip: Remember, there’s room for your friends to like other people and still like you! Don’t get jealous if you’re not the center of attention when there are other people around. Instead, take the opportunity to strike up a conversation with someone you’ve never talked to before.

• It might sound crazy, but if you’re trying to make new friends, give this a try the next time you see groups of people chatting in the hall, at a party, or at a social event.

• You don’t have to be great at sports to play intramurals. Intramurals could be anything from soccer and flag football to frisbee, golf, and dodgeball. Mostly, they’re designed to be a great way to have a good time, get some exercise, and gain a whole new team of friends.

• Afterschool social events might include school dances, movie nights, mixers, and plays.
• If you attend sporting events, not only will you build a bond with the other students cheering on the team, but the athletes may appreciate the fact that you came out to support them, especially if it’s a team that doesn’t draw a huge crowd.
• It can sometimes help to invite someone else to go with you to an event like this, since sitting by yourself can be lonely. Just pick someone you’d like to get to know better and say something like, “Hey, Stephen, I was thinking of the baseball game tonight, do you want to go with me?” Even if they can’t go to that particular event, they’ll remember that you asked them, and they’ll be more likely to consider you as a friend.

• Talking to other people during the day doesn’t have to involve long conversations with someone you don’t know well. It could be as simple as saying something like, “How are you today?” when you’re standing near someone at your locker, or “Hey, I liked your presentation!” after someone does a good job giving a speech in class.
• If you feel stuck in a routine that keeps you from interacting with people, try changing things up. For instance, you could try taking a new hall to get to class, which will give you a chance to interact with people you might not see otherwise.

• If you are wearing headphones when you are walking around, it can give off the impression that you don’t want to talk to anyone. Leave them out if you want to focus on making new friends.
• Don’t spend so much time following celebs on Insta that you forget to participate in your own life!

Striking up a Friendship

• If there is music playing, for instance, try saying something like, “I love this song, don’t you? I’m Jessica!”
• At lunch, choose something off your lunch plate that is tasty and mention to someone at your table how great of a job the cafeteria did today.

Tip: You’ll make a better impression if you keep your comments positive.

• This comes in handy in situations like sitting with a new group at lunch or being surrounded by others at a sporting event.
• Consider asking a question of the entire group rather than just one person. For instance, if the group is talking about an upcoming dance, you could say something like, “I think they should hire a DJ for the next dance. Wouldn’t that be awesome?”

• If you see someone who is wearing a T-shirt featuring your favorite band, you could say something like, “Hey, awesome shirt! I saw them in concert last summer!”

• For instance, if you started off by talking about a song that’s playing, you might say something like, “What other bands do you like, to listen to?”
• You could also say something like, “I haven’t gone to school here very long. What are the best clubs to join?”

• Text the person when you want to invite them to do something, or to check in with them to see how they did on their test or if they won a game. However, avoid texting more than once every few days, especially when you’re just getting to know the person.
• Call them when you want to reach out on a more personal level. Texting is more casual, but a phone call is nice for a special occasion like the person’s birthday, or if you want to check on the person because they have missed several days of school. [13] X Trustworthy Source Pew Research Center Nonpartisan thinktank conducting research and providing information on public opinion, demographic trends, and social trends Go to source

• For instance, if you are both into the arts, maybe there is a gallery, museum, play, or band you could go see.
• Invite your new friend to a movie you both want to see. If there is something you really want to see, ask if they would like to go with you. If you have time, plan to spend time together after the movie so you have a chance to talk about it. Coffee shops are a great place to sit and chat about the movie and anything else it made you think of.

Being Friendly

• You only have to smile for a second or 2 when you meet someone’s eyes. Smiling at them for too long without saying anything might seem a little odd.

• Other ways to have open body language include keeping your head up and making eye contact with people when you’re talking to them.
• You may also want to consider wearing brighter colored clothing. Not only will it make you seem more approachable, but it could actually affect your mood and make you happier. [16] X Research source

• Always treat other people the way you want them to treat you. Practicing the golden rule is key to cultivating a compassionate, long-lasting friendship.
• Encourage the other person. Let them know that you believe in them and support their achievements in their school work and their life goals. [18] X Research source

• For instance, if you text someone and they only text back a one-word answer, they might be busy or in a bad mood. Try to talk to them again in a few days and see if they’re more receptive to chatting.

• Chances are, the other person will really appreciate that you took the time to talk to them.

Understanding What’s Stopping You

• For instance, even if you have a big test coming up, pick a day of the week to set your books aside and play video games with a friend. Then, study all of the other days. Not only will this build your friendship, but taking time to relax might even help you on your test!

• Consider that the other person may be having a hard time right now and is not open to being friendly at the moment. [20] X Trustworthy Source HelpGuide Nonprofit organization dedicated to providing free, evidence-based mental health and wellness resources. Go to source
• Understand that the rejection may have more to do with who the other person is than it has to do with you. [21] X Trustworthy Source HelpGuide Nonprofit organization dedicated to providing free, evidence-based mental health and wellness resources. Go to source

• Other people are usually just as concerned about themselves as you are. They probably aren’t thinking about you and judging you as much as you think, because they are preoccupied with themselves. [23] X Trustworthy Source HelpGuide Nonprofit organization dedicated to providing free, evidence-based mental health and wellness resources. Go to source
• Don’t focus on perfection. You don’t have to be perfect to be a good friend. [24] X Research source
• Focus on your personal achievements instead of comparing yourself to others. [25] X Research source

Expert Q&A

Reader Videos

• Never go all-out with a possible friend. This may scare them away, and might make them less open to being your friend. Thanks Helpful 35 Not Helpful 6
• Don’t worry if a friendship doesn’t happen all at once. It takes time to strengthen a good friendship. Thanks Helpful 31 Not Helpful 6
• Never lie to someone else, as it will destroy your friendship. Thanks Helpful 33 Not Helpful 8

• Do not spread gossip about other people behind their back. Thanks Helpful 102 Not Helpful 6

You Might Also Like

• ↑ Ashley Pritchard, MA. School Counselor. Expert Interview. 4 November 2019.
• ↑ https://www.fastcompany.com/3061094/six-habits-of-people-who-make-friends-easily
• ↑ http://www.helpguide.org/articles/relationships/how-to-make-friends.htm
• ↑ https://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/26/fashion/the-etiquette-for-having-your-friends-befriend-each-other.html
• ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/let-their-words-do-the-talking/201305/look-peoples-feet-make-friends
• ↑ https://www.healthyplace.com/relationships/healthy-relationships/how-to-open-up-and-reveal-yourself-to-others
• ↑ http://mediashift.org/2007/10/how-cell-phones-are-killing-face-to-face-interactions295/
• ↑ http://www.helpguide.org/articles/relationships/overcoming-loneliness-and-shyness.htm
• ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/articles/200403/the-art-the-compliment
• ↑ https://www.artofmanliness.com/articles/social-briefing-8-better-conversations-asking-open-ended-questions/
• ↑ http://www.pewinternet.org/2011/09/19/americans-and-text-messaging/
• ↑ http://inspiyr.com/9-benefits-of-smiling/
• ↑ http://www.healthguidance.org/entry/14466/1/How-to-Look-Approachable.html
• ↑ http://www.collegefashion.net/fashion-tips/colors-and-mood-how-the-colors-you-wear-affect-you/
• ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/happiness-in-world/201002/what-makes-true-friend
• ↑ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jordan-dansky/are-you-making-time-for-y_b_5939624.html
• ↑ http://www.simplypsychology.org/self-esteem.html
• ↑ https://www.positivityblog.com/improve-self-esteem

About This Article

It can be really hard to make new friends at school, but you’ll have a better chance if you can find other people who like the same things you do. For instance, you could join a club or a group based on your favorite hobby. Also, pay attention to people who spend their free time doing the same things you love to do. If you love to draw, for instance, and you see someone else drawing on their lunch break, you could sit next to them and strike up a conversation about the type of colored pencils they’re using. Keep reading for tips on how to use open-ended questions to keep a conversation going! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Defining of True Friendship Essay

Introduction.

Human beings are social animals that depend on each other to live. Whatever thing man needs can only be gotten from another human being. That is the reason why we are constantly reminded that no man is an island. This means that man needs his fellow human beings in order to live a comfortable life. Although this is the case, there is the need for people to have a group of close associates whom they can identify with.

In most cases, this small group of friends is responsible for shaping our lives and destiny. The association that exists between friends is the most magnificent connection that one can ever have. Ideally, an ally is somebody who proffers adoration and respect and can not in any way be disloyal to us.

One thing that defines true friends from casual acquaintances is that while true friends are always there, acquaintances are only temporal. True friends are people who have seen you during your weakest moments but they still stick by you. In addition, these people have seen you make many silly mistakes but they nonetheless accept you unconditionally. In my life, I have had the privilege of having such kind of friends.

These two girls, Shannon and Stacie have been my close friends since my elementary days and this has continued to date. These two girls have seen me cranky and slumber tousled, without any make up, in scruffy clothes- all the things that I have to wear when I need to face the world and yet they have managed to stay in my life and like me as I am. To me, these two are examples of a perfect friendship.

Another quality of a good friendship can be exemplified in a boyfriend and a girlfriend desire to be together. The two love each other so much, such that they want to spend each waking moment of their life together. True friends also possess this kind of desire among themselves.

Just as in the case between a girlfriend and a boyfriend, true friends avoid situations that might bring up conflicts between them. They also desist from jesting each other, but instead treat each other with deference. This is the same devotion that my friends and I have toward each other. One thing that I have realized is that together we make a strong force that can withstand any kind of pressure.

Another thing that best defines friends is the sacrifices that they are willing to make for each other. Good friends have been known to compromise their safety for the sake of a friend. An example of this true friendship can be found in the bible, regarding the story of Jonathan and David.

Jonathan risked losing his life by revealing the plan that the king had plotted against David. By warning him, Jonathan was not only risking the wrath of his father but was also risking losing being the heir to the throne in favor of David. However, all these things came second to his friendship with David. This clearly defines the sense and duty of a true friend.

Friendship can mean different things to different people. However, of importance is to realize that there are different types of friends. There are the true friends who are always there for you and then there are convenient friends who are only present when they need your help.

The true friends are those who stand by you in both the good and the bad times. This group of friends accepts your mistakes and accepts you regardless of your condition. These people see the bright side of your life and encourage you to become more than what you are. In short, they are people who are willing to help you realize your potential in life.

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Essay on Friendship

List of essays on friendship, essay on friendship – short essay for kids (essay 1 – 150 words), essay on friendship – 10 lines on friendship written in english (essay 2 – 250 words), essay on friendship – for school students (class 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7) (essay 3 – 300 words), essay on friendship – for students (essay 4 – 400 words), essay on friendship (essay 5 – 500 words), essay on friendship – introduction, benefits and qualities (essay 6 – 600 words), essay on friendship – essay on true friendship (essay 7 – 750 words), essay on friendship – importance, types, examples and conclusion (essay 8 – 1000 words).

Friendship is a divine relationship, which is defined by neither blood nor any other similarity. Who is in this world does not have a friend?

A friend, with whom you just love to spend your time, can share your joys and sorrows. Most importantly you need not fake yourself and just be what you are. That is what friendship is all about. It is one of the most beautiful of the relations in the world. Students of today need to understand the values of friendship and therefore we have composed different long essays for students as well as short essays.

Audience: The below given essays are exclusively written for school students (Class 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 Standard).

Introduction:

Friendship is considered as one of the treasures that anyone can possess. God has given us the liberty to choose friends because they are for our lifetime. It is quite normal for our parents and siblings to love us because they are our own blood but a friend is someone who is initially a stranger and then takes his/her place above all the other relations. Friendship is nothing but pure love without any expectations.

Role of a Friend:

True friends share and support each other even during the toughest of times. A true friend is one who feels happy for our success, who feel sad for our failures, fight with us for silly things and hugs us the next second, gets angry on us when we do any mistakes. Friendship is all about having true friends who can understand us without the need for us to speak.

Conclusion:

Friendship is very essential for a happy life. Even a two-minute chat with a friend will make us forget our worries. That is the strength of friendship.

Friendship is a divine relationship, which is defined by neither blood nor any other similarity. Friends are those you can choose for yourself in spite of the difference you both have from each other. A good friend in need will do wonders in your life, whenever you are in need of self-realization, upbringing your confidence and more.

Friendship serves you best not only in your happiest moments but also when you feel low in emotions. A life without a good friend is not at all complete and an emptiness will be felt all the time you think of sharing your emotion that can’t be told to anyone else.

Honesty and Patience in Friendship:

To maintain and keep going with a good deep friendship, honesty is the most important factor. You should choose a person who can be cent percent honest with you in all perspective like emotions, decision making, etc. Trustworthy friendship will help you to take better decisions and choose a better path for your future well-being.

Tolerance and patience with each other are another important characteristics of long-lasting friendship. Accepting the differences, friends should be able to be with each other in all situations. As a friend, the person should lead the other to success by being a motivation and criticize the person if they choose the wrong path.

Friendship will give you sweet and happy memories that can be cherished for a lifetime and if you succeed in maintaining that precious relation, then you are the luckiest person in this world. Love and care for each other will cherish the relationship and helps the person to appreciate each thing done without any fail.

Of all the different relations which we indulge in, friendship is considered to be the purest of them all. Friendship is the true confluence of souls with like minded attitude that aids in seamless conversation and the best of times. It is believed that a person who doesn’t have any friend lives one of the toughest lives.

The Desire to Belong:

Each one of us have been so programmed that we need a companion even if it’s not romantic, someone just to tag along. There are several definitions of friendship and it is upon you as to how you believe your relation to be. Friendship can happen when you are simply sharing a bowl of food with a person day after day. It can be expressed in the way you silently care for someone even when they may not be aware of your existence.

The Little Moments that Matter:

It is giving up the little things you love dearly for the sake of someone you cherish a great deal. Friendship often refers to the little moments of senseless laugh you two share when the rest of the world starts to look bleak. It is to know what your friend needs and being there for them even when the rest of the world has turned their back towards them.

Friendship is the kind of relation which sometimes even exceeds the realms of love because it is all about giving without even once bothering to sense what you shall get back. Every time spent is special because when you are with friends, you don’t feel the blues!

The Bottom-Line:

Of course the definition of friendship is going to vary a great deal from one person to another. But, remember one thing, when you are friends with someone, be prepared to put your heart on the line for their happiness because friendship often manifests into love, even if it is not romantic, it always is true!

Friendship is the most valuable as well as precious gifts of life. Friendship is one of the most valued relationship. People who have good friends enjoy the most in their live. True friendship is based on loyalty & support. A good friend is a person who will stand with you when times are tough. A friend is someone special on whom you can rely on to celebrate a special moment. Friendship is like a life asset and it can lead us to success. It all depends on our choice how we choose our friends.

The quality of friendship is essential for happiness. The benefits of healthy friendship remains long-life. In addition, having a strong friend circle also improves our self-confidence. Due to the strong relationship, we get much emotional support during our bad times. True friendship is a feeling of love & care.

Real friendship cannot be built within limited boundaries like caste or creed. It gives us a feeling that someone really needs us & we are not alone. This is true that man cannot live alone. True friends are needed in every stage of life to survive. A true friend can be an old person or a child. But it is generally believed that we make friend with people who are of the same age as ours. Same age group can give you the freedom to share anything.

The selection of a true friend is also a challenging task. We have to carefully make our friend selection. Friends might come & go. They will make you laugh & cry. Wrong selection can create various problems for you. In the modern world, many youngsters become a social nuisance. The reason behind it is wrong & bad friendships.

But if we successfully choose the right person as a friend then our life becomes easier. It doesn’t matter who you are, what type of clothes you wear. The most important thing is trust because the relation of friendship stands on the pillars of trust.

Friendship is a relation which can make or break us in every stage of life. But in other words, friendship is an asset which is really precious. Obviously, it is also not so easy to maintain friendships. It demands your time as well as efforts. Last but not the least, it is hard to find true friendship but once you succeed in this task you will have a wonderful time. In exchange for that a friend will only need your valuable time and trust.

The idea of friendship is either heartwarming or gives cold feet depending on individuals and the types of friendships. In the current world, friendships have had different definitions based on the morality and civilization of the society. Ideally, friendship is defined as the state of mutual trust between individuals or parties. Trust is an important component of friendship because it determines the reliability and longevity of the friendship. Trust is built through honest communications between the individuals and interested parties.

Once trust has been established, mutual understanding and support being to form the resulting in a friendship. This friendship can be broken through lack of trust. Trust can be breached through deceit and/ or some people, it differs with the frequencies. There are people who will break friendships after only one episode of dishonesty whereas some people give second chances and even more chances. Friendship types determine the longevity and the causes of breakups. The importance of friendship in the lives of individuals is the reason why friendships are formed in the first place.

Types of Friendships:

According to Aristotle’s Nichomachean ethics, there are three types of friendships. The friendships are based on three factors i.e. utility, pleasure and goodness. The first type of friendship is based on utility and has been described as a friendship whereby both parties gain from each other.

This type of friendship is dependent on the benefits and that is what keeps the friendship going. This type of friendships do not last long because it dissolves as soon as the benefits are outsourced or when other sources are found outside the friendship. The friendship was invented for trade purposes because when two people with opposite things that depend on each other re put together, trade is maximized.

The second type of friendship is based on pleasure. This is described as friendship in which two individuals are drawn to each other based on desires of pleasure and is characterized by passionate feelings and feelings of belonging. This type of friendship can ether last long or is short-lived depending on the presence of the attraction between the two parties.

The third type of friendship is based on goodness. In this friendship, the goodness of people draw them to each other and they usually have the same virtues. The friendship involves loving each other and expecting goodness. It takes long to develop this kind of friendship but it usually lasts longest and is actually the best kind of friendship to be in. the importance of such a friendship is the social support and love.

In conclusion, friendships are important in the lives of individuals. Trust builds and sustains friendships. The different types of friendships are important because they provide benefits and social support. Friendships provide a feeling of belonging and dependence. The durability of friendships is dependent on the basis of its formation and the intention during the formation. Friendships that last long are not based on materialistic gain, instead, they are based on pure emotion.

Friendship is an emotion of care, mutual trust, and fondness among two persons. A friend might be a work-mate, buddy, fellow student or any individual with whom we feel an attachment.

In friendship, people have a mutual exchange of sentiments and faith too. Usually, the friendship nurtures more amongst those people who belong to a similar age as they possess the same passions, interests, sentiments, and opinions. During the school days, kids who belong to the similar age group have a common dream about their future and this makes them all of them get closer in friendship.

In the same way, employees working in business organizations also make friends as they are working together for attaining the organizational objectives. It does not matter that to which age group you belong, friendship can happen at any time of your life.

Benefits of Friendship:

Sometimes friendship is essential in our life. Below are a few benefits of friendship.

1. It’s impossible to live your life alone always but friendship fills that gap quickly with the friend’s company.

2. You can easily pass the rigidities of life with the friendship as in your distress period your friends are always there to help you.

3. Friendship teaches you how to remain happy in life.

4. In case of any confusion or problem, your friendship will always benefit you with good opinions.

True and Dishonest Friendship:

True friendship is very rare in today’s times. There are so many persons who support only those people who are in power so that they can fulfil their selfish motives below the name of friendship. They stay with friends till the time their selfish requirements are achieved. Dishonest friends leave people as soon as their power gets vanished. You can find these types of self-seeking friends all around the world who are quite hurtful than enemies.

Finding a true friendship is very difficult. A true friend helps the other friend who is in need. It does not matter to him that his friend is right or wrong but he will always support his friend at the time of his difficulty.

Carefulness in the Selection of Friendship:

You must be very careful while choosing friends. You should nurture your friendship with that person who does not leave you in your bad times easily. Once you get emotionally attached to the wrong person you cannot finish your friendship so soon. True friendship continues till the time of your last breaths and does not change with the passing time.

Friendship with a bad person also affects your own thoughts and habits. Therefore, a bad person should not be chosen in any type of circumstances. We must do friendship with full attention and carefulness.

Best Qualities of Good Friendship:

Good friendship provides people an enormous love to each other.

The below are the important qualities of good friendship:

1. Good friendship is always faithful, honest, and truthful.

2. People pay attention and take note of others thoughts in good friendship.

3. Persons quickly forget and let off the mistakes of the other friend. In fact, they accept their friend in the way they are actually.

4. You are not judged on the basis of your success, money or power in it.

5. Friends do not feel shy to provide us with valuable opinions for our welfare.

6. People always share their joyful times with their good friends and also stay ready to help their friends in the time of need.

7. True friends also support others in their professional as well as personal life. They encourage their friends in the area of their interest.

Friendship is established over the sacrifice, love, faith, and concern of mutual benefit. True Friendship is a support and a blessing for everybody. All those males and females who have true and genuine friends are very lucky really.

Friendship can simply be defined as a form of mutual relationship or understanding between two people or more who interact and are attached to one another in a manner that is friendly. A friendship is a serious relationship of devotion between two or more people where people involved have a true and sincere feeling of affection, care and love towards each other devoid of any misunderstanding and without demands.

Primarily friendship happens between people that have the same sentiments, feelings and tastes. It is believed that there is no limit or criteria for friendship. All of the different creed, religion, caste, position, sex and age do not matter when it comes to friendship even though friendships can sometimes be damaged by economic disparity and other forms of differentiation. From all of these, it can be concluded that real and true friendship is very possible between people that have a uniform status and are like-minded.

A lot of friends we have in the world today only remain together in times of prosperity and absence of problems but only the faithful, sincere and true friends remain all through the troubles, times of hardships and our bad times. We only discover who our bad and good friends are in the times where we don’t have things going our way.

Most people want to be friends with people with money and we can’t really know if our friends are true when we have money and do not need their help, we only discover our true friends when we need their help in terms of money or any other form of support. A lot of friendships have been jeopardised because of money and the absence or presence of it.

Sometimes, we might face difficulty or crises in our friendships because of self-respect and ego. Friendships can be affected by us or others and we need to try to strike a balance in our friendships. For our friendship to prosper and be true, we need satisfaction, proper understanding and a trustworthy nature. As true friends, we should never exploit our friends but instead do our utmost best to motivate and support them in doing and attaining the very best things in life.

The true meaning of friendship is sometimes lost because of encounters with fake friends who have used and exploited us for their own personal benefits. People like this tend to end the friendship once they get what they want or stab their supposed friends in the back just to get what they think is best for them. Friendship is a very good thing that can help meet our need for companionship and other emotional needs.

In the world we live in today, it is extremely difficult to come across good and loyal friends and this daunting task isn’t made any easier by the lie and deceit of a lot of people in this generation. So, when one finds a very good and loyal important, it is like finding gold and one should do everything to keep friends like that.

The pursuit of true friendship Is not limited to humans, we can as well find good friends in animals; for example, it is a popular belief that dogs make the best friends. It is very important to have good friends as they help us in times and situations where we are down and facing difficulties. Our true friends always do their best to save us when we are in danger and also provide us with timely and good advice. True friends are priceless assets in our lives, they share our pains and sorrow, help provide relief to us in terrible situations and do their best to make us happy.

Friends can both be the good or the bad types. Good friends help push us on the right path in life while on the other hand, bad friends don’t care about us but only care about themselves and can lead us into the wrong path; because of this, we have to be absolutely careful when choosing our friends in this life.

Bad friends can ruin our lives completely so we have to be weary of them and do our best to avoid bag friends totally. We need friends in our life that will be there for us at every point in time and will share all of our feeling with us, both the good and bad. We need friends we can talk to anytime we are feeling lonely, friends that will make us laugh and smile anytime we are feeling sad.

What is friendship? It is the purest form of relationship between two individual with no hidden agenda. As per the dictionary, it is the mutual affection between people. But, is it just a mutual affection? Not always, as in the case of best friends, it is far beyond that. Great friends share each other’s feelings or notions which bring a feeling of prosperity and mental fulfillment.

A friend is a person whom one can know deeply, as and trust for eternity. Rather than having some likeness in the idea of two people associated with the friendship, they have some extraordinary qualities yet they want to be with each other without changing their uniqueness. By and large, friends spur each other without censuring, however at times great friends scrutinize do affect you in a positive manner.

Importance of Friendship:

It is very important to have a friend in life. Each friend is vital and their significance in known to us when certain circumstances emerge which must be supported by our friends. One can never feel lonely in this world on the off chance that he or she is embraced by true friends. Then again, depression wins in the lives of the individuals who don’t have friends regardless of billions of individuals present on the planet. Friends are particularly vital amid times of emergency and hardships. On the off chance that you wind up experiencing a hard time, having a friend to help you through can make the change simpler.

Having friends you can depend on can help your confidence. Then again, an absence of friends can make you feel lonely and without help, which makes you powerless for different issues, for example, sadness and drug abuse. Having no less than one individual you can depend on will formulate your confidence.

Choosing Your Friends Wisely:

Not all friends can instill the positivity in your life. There can be negative effects as well. It is very important to choose your friends with utmost wisdom. Picking the right friend is somewhat troublesome task however it is extremely important. In the event that for instance a couple of our dear friends are engaged with negative behaviour patterns, for example, smoking, drinking and taking drugs, at some point or another we will be attracted to their bad habits as well. This is the reason behind why it is appropriate to settle on an appropriate decision with regards to making friends.

Genuine friendship is truly a gift delighted in by a couple. The individuals who have it ought to express gratitude toward God for having genuine pearls in their lives and the individuals who don’t have a couple of good friends ought to always take a stab at better approaches to anchor great friends. No organization is superior to having a friend close by in the midst of need. You will stay cheerful in your one-room flat on the off chance that you are surrounded by your friends; then again, you can’t discover satisfaction even in your estate in the event that you are far away from others.

Types of Friends:

There is variety everywhere, so why not in friends. We can see different types of friends during our journey of life. For instance, your best friend at school is someone with whom you just get along the most. That friend, especially in the case of girls, may just get annoyed even if you talk to another of your friend more than her. Such is the childish nature of such friendships that at times it is difficult for others to identify whether you are best friends or competitors.

Then there is another category of your siblings. No matter how much you deny, but your siblings or your elder brother and sisters are those friends of yours who stay on with you for your entire life. You have a different set of friendship with them as you find yourself fighting with them most of the times. However, in times of need, you shall see that they are first ones standing behind you, supporting you.

There is another category of friends called professional friends. You come across such friends only when you grow up and choose a profession for yourself. These friends are usually from the same organisation and prove to be helpful during your settling years. Some of them tend to stay on with you even when you change companies.

Friendship Examples from History:

History has always taught us a lot. Examples of true friendship are not far behind. We have some famous example from history which makes us realise the true value of friendship. The topmost of them are the Krishna and Sudama friendship. We all must have read or heard as to how after becoming a king when Krishna met Sudama, his childhood friend, he treated him with honour even though Sudama was a poor person. It teaches us the friendship need not be between equals. It has to be between likeminded people. Next example is of Karna and Duryodhana, again from the Mahabharat era.

Despite knowing the fact that the Pandavas were his brothers, Karna went on to fight alongside Duryodhan as he is his best friend and even laid down his life for him. What more example of true friendship can one find? Again from the same era, Krishna and Arjun are also referred to as the best of the friends. Bhagavad Gita is an example of how a true friend can guide you towards positivity in life and make you follow the path of Dharma. Similarly, there are numerous examples from history which teach us the values of true friendship and the need to nourish such for own good.

Whether you accept or deny it, a friend plays an important role in your life. In fact, it is very important to have a friend. However, at the same time, it is extremely important to choose the friends wisely as they are the ones who can build you or destroy you. Nonetheless, a friend’s company is something which one enjoys all through life and friends should be treated as the best treasure a man can have.

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How to Make New Friends Essay

In a world that is shrinking because of the use of technology, people often find it difficult to meet new friends. While networks like Facebook and Myspace are a good way to stay in touch, getting to know someone over the Internet falls short of actually making friends with that person.

People are so caught up in the daily activities and technological advances that identifying the best means to become acquainted with others can be more challenging than anticipated. The Internet is a good place to start pinpointing events that are likely to involve people of similar interests and ideology, but to really get to know someone it is necessary to leave your house and have more personal contact.

Finding peers who think in a similar way and enjoy the same hobbies is the easiest method of beginning a friendship. Attending school events, like plays, band concerts, or sports events, is a reliable technique to find people who enjoy the same pastimes. Joining clubs is another great way to find people who enjoy the same activities.

For those who are shy and bookish, either looking for or starting a book club can provide a tamer atmosphere for classmates with more reserved natures to comfortably discuss their interests. Taking electives that…

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Want to Make a New Friend? How Much Money Have You Got?

A nnabelle Havill spends at least $500 a month maintaining the three close friendships she made since moving to a new town two years ago with her husband and two children. That covers parties, book clubs and casual wine nights, averaging about $170 a friend.

Fortunately, they reciprocate. “It’s a lot more expensive to have friends than it is to not have friends,” said Havill, who is 42 years old and lives in Fauquier County, Va.

Making and keeping friends takes more money and effort than it used to. People spending less time at offices, schools and free community groups are now spending money to make friends. Rising prices at restaurants and bars mean that catching up over drinks or dinner can add up fast.

Americans today have fewer close connections than decades ago, a phenomenon compounded by the social isolation of the pandemic. Paying for art classes and gym memberships to meet people can be an expensive proposition. It takes around 200 hours to form a close friendship, according to research by Jeffrey Hall, a University of Kansas professor of communication studies.

And the price tag keeps rising: The cost of club memberships, lesson fees, event tickets, and food and alcohol outside the home rose almost 11% over the past two years, compared with 7.5% growth in prices of all goods and services, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

Paying to hang out

Jenny Orletski-Dehne, 33, has lived in the Detroit area for most of her life. As an adult, she made many of her friends through fitness classes and professional networking events. She spends around $200 a month on gym memberships that have sparked around 15 friendships, she calculates.

“I paid money for the community I found,” said Orletski-Dehne, who manages the business organization Let’s Detroit. “I’ve made lifelong friends that way, but it’s an expensive hobby.”

Roughly a third of gym members say they joined to meet new people, a survey by Statista found in 2021. And it isn’t just gyms. More than half of Americans say they have at least one friend with whom they participate in activities or hobbies, according to a survey by the American Enterprise Institute.

Making friendships in everyday settings—such as work and school—is more difficult when people are still spending lots of time at home.

“There is just an overall downward trend for people socializing in public spaces,” said Dan Cox, director of AEI’s Survey Center on American Life. “People [are] piecing together various ways to connect and socialize to feel that sense of belonging through commercial spaces.”

More spending, low returns

Orletski-Dehne also sought friends at professional networking events. Since the pandemic, she has noticed attendees are often more interested in growing their social circles than job hunting. But she has made only a couple of friends through the events, which cost up to $25, she said.

Paying for one-off events might not be the most effective way to build an intimate friendship, according to Hall, who says people have a higher chance of expanding their social circles in the places where they spend the most time.

Neighborhoods used to provide a local social network, but people aren’t as close with those who live closest to them. About 41% of Americans said they socialized with neighbors at least once a month in 2022, according to the General Social Survey—down from 61% in 1974.

Doug Copeland, 59, moved to an apartment in Kansas City, Mo., in January 2020 and described his relationship with his fellow tenants as cordial. When he was younger, he made friends by attending ballroom dancing classes with people who lived in his apartment building.

“Half your life is trying to get away from home and the second half of your life is trying to find home and your people again,” Copeland said.

Copeland has been spending about $500 a month on glass-blowing lessons, golf, tennis and YMCA lessons. He is still hoping a friendship will click.

For Havill, the $100 to $200 she was spending each month on pickleball paddles, crafting materials and cookie-baking or pottery-making gatherings didn’t pay off. The three friendships she formed were struck up while walking her dog and watching her children in her neighborhood.

Friends at a discount

Marley Aikhionbare, 22, and Rowan Lester, 20, are on a mission to create an affordable place to meet friends.

Seventeen percent of hybrid workers say they have a best friend at work, according to a 2022 Gallup poll of 4,000 workers. College students are lonelier and more isolated than their predecessors, a legacy of the Covid-era restrictions on campus life.

After dropping out of college, Aikhionbare, who uses they as a pronoun, felt isolated from people their own age who were in school. It wasn’t much better for Lester, who is graduating this spring from the University of California, Santa Cruz.

“I feel like we’re still very insular and we’ve been trained to be that way for the last couple years,” Lester said.

The duo’s goal: to remove both the awkwardness and expense of building a social life. In February, they hosted an event based on the idea of “third places,” a concept that refers to a space outside the home and workplace where people build community. Tickets to the event were $10, but a second event planned for the end of May will be free.

“What it takes to create a truly functional third space is having that statement saying this is specifically for socialization,” said Aikhionbare. “We need to kind of be told we have permission.”

Write to Katherine Hamilton at [email protected]

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Stellar Blade adds new Boss Challenge mode on May 24

Details from Shift Up on new content coming to the third-person action game.

Greetings! Patch 1.003 for Stellar Blade goes live today. Eve’s mission is far from over, and we at Shift Up are working to make Stellar Blade shine even brighter. We’re happy to present to you the new Boss Challenge, new Nano Suits, and improved convenience features coming in this patch update on May 24.

Boss Challenge

The Boss Challenge pits you against the 19 bosses from the base game. Hone your skills, outwit your enemies… and brutalize them.

Progression in the Boss Challenge requires battle data from bosses you’ve previously defeated. You can also fight bosses on Hard difficulty setting after you’ve seen the ending of the game. 

To start the challenge, you can either load up and use your own gear you’ve been using or choose one of several presets. Choose the minimum preset for a true challenge, which is extremely understated, or the maximum preset, which has all of your skills and stats buffed up, if you want to taunt the boss with some spectacular combat.

After the challenge is over, your battle data is automatically analyzed. You’ll see metrics like battle time, number of perfect parries and dodges, consumable usage, and more. Test your skills and compare with your friends. 

If you defeat all bosses in the Boss Challenge on Normal difficulty setting or higher, you’ll get to earn the Neurolink Suit for Eve. Hats off to your strength!

New Nano Suits added

Blood, blade… and beauty. Eve can be summarized in these three words. New Nano Suits have been added to bring out her beauty even more.

The two Nano Suits above, White Kunoichi and Black Kunoichi, will be available in this new update.

And check out the game yourself for more Nano Suits.

Quality-of-life improvements

If you switch to ranged attack mode and switch back while locked on to an enemy, you will automatically lock on to the enemy again.

Also, we’re adding an option to always show the compass in the HUD.

All of these will be available on May 24 on PS5. Ready yourselves to reclaim Earth for humankind.

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Apple Music celebrates the greatest records ever made with the launch of inaugural 100 Best Albums list

Discover, Learn, and Share with Friends

Follow Along on Apple Music Radio

Text of this article

May 13, 2024

PRESS RELEASE

A 10-day countdown kicks off today with the reveal of albums 100-91, featuring works from Solange; Tyler, The Creator; George Michael; and more Discover, share, and follow along as Apple Music journeys through the albums that shaped, inspired, and fundamentally changed music

CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA  Apple Music today announced the release of its 100 Best Albums of all time, a celebratory list of the greatest records ever made, crafted by Apple Music’s team of experts alongside a select group of artists, including Maren Morris, Pharrell Williams, J Balvin, Charli XCX, Mark Hoppus, Honey Dijon, and Nia Archives, as well as songwriters, producers, and industry professionals. The list is an editorial statement, fully independent of any streaming numbers on Apple Music — a love letter to the records that have shaped the world music lovers live and listen in.

Apple Music is bringing its 100 Best Albums to life with a countdown celebration beginning today, revealing 10 albums each day for the next 10 days, along with a brand-new 100 Best microsite, new and exclusive content, dedicated Apple Music Radio episodes, and so much more. The countdown will culminate on the final day with the reveal of Apple Music’s top 10 albums of all time during a broadcast radio special.

“100 Best brings together all the things that make Apple Music the ultimate service for music lovers — human curation at its peak, an appreciation for the art of storytelling, and unparalleled knowledge of music and an even deeper love for it,” said Rachel Newman, Apple Music’s senior director of content and editorial. “We have been working on this for a very long time, and it’s something we are all incredibly proud of and excited to share with the world.”

“Putting this list together was a true labor of love, both in that it was incredibly difficult to do and in that we are all so passionate about it,” said Zane Lowe, Apple Music’s global creative director and lead anchor for Apple Music 1. “We were tasked with selecting the 100 best — that’s practically mission impossible. But as music fans, it was also amazing to really take a minute and sit and think about the music and albums and artists that we love so much in this context. If this list sparks more debate among fans outside of Apple Music and gets people talking passionately about the music they love, then we’ve done what we set out to do.”

The first 10 albums, revealed today, offer a glimpse into Apple Music’s unique approach with 100 Best. With seven of the 10 records hailing from the 21st century, two from the 90s, only one from the 70s, and various genres represented, the list spotlights contemporary artists like Tyler, The Creator; Robyn; Lorde; Travis Scott; Solange; Burial; and more who have helped define this century through their music and its influence on others.

100. Body Talk , Robyn 99. Hotel California, Eagles 98. ASTROWORLD, Travis Scott 97. Rage Against the Machine , Rage Against the Machine 96. Pure Heroine , Lorde 95 . Confessions , USHER 94. Untrue , Burial 93. A Seat at the Table , Solange 92. Flower Boy , Tyler, The Creator 91. Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 , George Michael

“There are so many fun facts for our listeners to discover about these albums,” said Scott Plagenhoef, Apple Music’s global head of music programming. “For example, two of the records revealed today were promoted without the image of the artist, but for opposite reasons — Burial’s Untrue because the artist was still operating anonymously at the time, and George Michael’s Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 because the artist was actually retreating from fame.”

To accompany the list, today Apple Music also revealed a dedicated microsite that will update every day of the countdown, making it easy for listeners to follow along. Available now at 100best.music.apple.com , the new 100 Best microsite spotlights in-depth analysis of each album, archival interviews, and more, and makes it easy for fans to share their favorite albums with friends and on their social channels.

Explore records 100-91 of Apple Music’s 100 Best Albums at 100best.music.apple.com .

Fans will also be treated to a full 100 Best Albums Radio takeover on Apple Music Hits, where round-the-clock specials with Apple Music Radio hosts and daily specials at 9 a.m. PT (noon ET) will be broadcasted, plus exclusive content will drop every day on demand on Apple Music and Apple Podcasts.

The last 10 albums will be revealed on Wednesday, May 22, with a special roundtable discussion broadcasting globally on Apple Music that features guest artists Nile Rodgers and Maggie Rogers reflecting on the list alongside Apple Music’s own Zane Lowe and Ebro Darden. Lowe will also curate a special mashup-style DJ mix featuring songs from all 100 Best Albums.

Apple Music will keep the momentum going after the countdown ends with an additional week of 100 Best Albums Radio takeover on Apple Music Hits.

All 100 Best Albums recipients will be given an award comprised of blasted anodized aluminum, sourced entirely from recycled Apple products, in a unique polished PVD gold. The design on the back of the award takes its cues from a vinyl LP record and is inscribed with the artist’s name, the album title, and the album’s year of release.

Explore Apple Music’s 100 Best Albums at 100best.music.apple.com and check back daily to discover the full list. Get exclusive content by following @AppleMusic on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and X.

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Biden’s Get-Tough-on-China Tariffs May Backfire

By Steven Rattner

Mr. Rattner is a contributing Opinion writer. He served as counselor to the Treasury secretary in the Obama administration.

The tide of globalization is receding, at least from American shores. Two successive presidents have come down firmly on the side of tariffs rather than trade agreements as the preferred mechanism for managing international commerce.

History shows that we should proceed with caution. While there are political and security reasons for tariffs, America’s new protectionist stance will raise prices, limit consumer choices and risk our growth.

The past aggressive and widespread imposition of levies of this sort has made clear that restraining trade brings with it serious risks to economic prosperity, both for the United States and for other affected countries.

Last week, after lying low on this front for most of his term, President Biden announced a raft of new tariffs on selected Chinese imports, including electric cars, solar panels, steel and aluminum. While the tariffs cover only $18 billion of imports, they are, by design, meant to keep Chinese products, like electric vehicles, from entering the U.S. market. In doing so, he has in large measure aligned his trade policy with that of his predecessor Donald Trump.

It’s not hard to understand the reasons for this. While the U.S. economy continues to grow (albeit a bit slowly) and create jobs (at a fast pace), Americans are dissatisfied; polls show that a majority of voters surveyed said the state of the economy is poor.

In a search for culprits, eyes often turn to the growing number of inexpensive imports, particularly from China. No doubt decades of increased trade have caused some losers. Entire domestic manufacturing industries — from furniture to electronics to toys to bicycles — have essentially disappeared. And now our ability to compete in new sectors, like electric vehicles and solar panels, is in grave doubt.

Moreover, as political tensions with China have grown, so have concerns about the national security implications of trade. China is a major source of critical minerals such as lithium and cobalt, essential ingredients in many batteries. And the increase in tariffs on Chinese semiconductors is only the latest in a string of policies intended to support domestic manufacturing of chips, which are key components in everything from autos to military equipment.

In that context, at least some of Mr. Biden’s new tariffs targeted at China make sense. But others — like the increase in the duties on certain aluminum and steel products to 25 percent from between zero and 7.5 percent — seem motivated by Mr. Biden’s desire to outflank his opponent in Rust Belt swing states. They will increase the cost of these materials for American industry, hampering efforts to rebuild our manufacturing strength.

In addition, the Biden administration announced that it would be extending Trump-era tariffs on $300 billion of Chinese imports, including consumer electronics, furniture, clothing and shoes.

While Mr. Biden’s relatively surgical attack on specific Chinese products is far more defensible than Mr. Trump’s wildly broad-brush approach, the sharp reversal in U.S. trade policy over the past seven years brings with it legitimate worries about growth, inflation and the overall number of American jobs.

Every student in an introductory economics course learns about David Ricardo’s 200-year-old theory of comparative advantage: the idea that by specializing in the products that they can produce most efficiently and then trading with others, nations can be better off.

In the wake of the 1929 stock market crash, Congress passed the Smoot-Hawley tariffs. Though pitched as a means of protecting workers and farmers during a downturn, the tariffs triggered a wave of global protectionism that exacerbated the Great Depression and contributed to an estimated two-thirds decline in global trade.

Lesson learned, trade liberalization began, and successive accords brought tariffs down sharply, often to minimal levels. That culminated with the North American Free Trade Agreement, which went into effect in 1994, and the admission of China to the World Trade Organization in 2001.

As macroeconomists argued, the resulting increase in trade brought consumers in the United States and elsewhere less expensive and often superior goods, helping fuel strong economic growth and moderate inflation.

What macroeconomists missed were the microeconomic effects. While trade aided overall prosperity, significant pockets of American workers — particularly in manufacturing — lost their jobs or found their wages cut. One study , for which the Massachusetts Institute of Technology economist David Autor was a co-author, found that the “China shock” cost us nearly one million manufacturing jobs and 2.4 million jobs in total. Little was done to assist affected workers.

Without a doubt, Mr. Trump’s full-throated opposition to free trade contributed to his 2016 election, and he lost no time in carrying out his agenda, even on some imports from allies like Japan and European nations, including steel and aluminum, washing machines and solar panels.

The general problem with tariffs is that study after study has shown that they raise prices for consumers and probably cost more jobs than they save, particularly as affected countries retaliate.

Mr. Trump declared victory when China promised to purchase an additional $200 billion of American products — a promise it didn’t keep.

Mr. Trump is now making a far more aggressive package of tariffs the centerpiece of his campaign. He has proposed imposing at least a 60 percent levy on all imports from China and a 10 percent tariff on imports from everywhere else. This month, he added a 200 percent duty on vehicles made in Mexico by Chinese companies to his laundry list of protectionist policies.

While I’m not predicting another Great Depression, Mr. Trump’s trade agenda, were it put in place, would have a far worse impact on the global economy than Mr. Biden’s more tailored approach.

The new protectionism has already put the prospect of further trade agreements on ice. Washington insiders joke that the position of United States trade representative should be retitled United States anti-trade representative. The current trade representative, Katherine Tai, said falsely last week that the evidence of tariffs leading to higher prices had been “largely debunked.”

Not so. Mr. Biden was correct in 2019 , when he criticized Mr. Trump for this quixotic trade war. “President Trump may think he’s being tough on China,” Mr. Biden said in a campaign speech. “All that he’s delivered as a consequence of that is American farmers, manufacturers and consumers losing and paying more.” (Ms. Tai later walked back her recent comment.)

A Goldman Sachs analysis found that from the start of 2018 to the start of 2020, prices of tariff-targeted goods rose by about 4 percent and the prices of nontargeted goods fell 1 percent. Numerous studies have found that those higher prices were borne almost entirely by American companies and consumers — not by Chinese exporters. A Tax Foundation analysis concluded that the Trump tariffs cost 166,000 jobs.

Retaliation, the inevitable result of tariff imposition, has already begun. The “buy American” provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act helped spur Europe to add its own “buy European” requirements to its new green infrastructure bill. All told, the number of worldwide protectionist trade interventions roughly doubled in 2020 and has remained elevated, according to Global Trade Alert.

We need a better approach. Tariffs can be used to temporarily shelter nascent domestic industries — much as Alexander Hamilton proposed when he served as our first Treasury secretary. They can be used judiciously to address unfair trading practices. And they can be used when national security is genuinely at risk.

However, we also need to resume removing trade barriers, not increase them. Among other things, we need the World Trade Organization to function, but the Trump and Biden administrations have blocked all candidates for its appellate body and chosen to act unilaterally, rather than through the W.T.O.

I’m hoping that when the election dust settles, we can get back to what David Ricardo explained so clearly two centuries ago.

The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. We’d like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips . And here’s our email: [email protected] .

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Steven Rattner is a contributing Opinion writer and the chairman and chief executive of Willett Advisors. He was a counselor to the Treasury secretary in the Obama administration. @ SteveRattner • Facebook