Friendship Reboot
Everything is online now.
Why not our social lives, too?
When Kelsey Fehlberg became obsessed withBTSin 2021, she started a Twitter account to connect with other K-pop fans.
It worked: She and 12 other superfans now have a highly active WhatsApp chat.
Their connection may have initially been about swooning over Jimin, but its deepened over time.
It is the biggest, most unexpected gift, she says.
This is compelling television, but its not how modern friendship looks.
Of course, digital friendships exist beyond fandoms.
Sometimes you just, you know,vibewith someone.
Sarah Gorman, 32, made a group of friends while playingAmong Usduring the pandemic.
Yes, thats correct: Theonline multiplayer murder mystery gameconnected her to new friends.
Scheduling game time led to a lot of texting.
One of them moved to LA, and now were IRL friends, too.
Both Fehlberg and Gormans experiences are powerful examples of how you might forge strong friendships in seemingly unexpected ways.
And while they took their new besties offline and into real life, thats not always necessary.
I know, easier said than done.
But consider this:Only half of Americans are satisfied with how many friends they have.
You talk about your shared love of30 Rock, swap vegetarian recipes, and make Oscars predictions.
This is how I met Victoria Edel, one of my closest friends and writing partners.
Some day we will meet, but it doesnt lessen the depth of our friendship.
Victoria and I have a lot of shared interests and similar senses of humor.
We sent them to each other for months, and it strengthened our bond.
Mutually valuing each others opinions is friendship, full stop.
Our entire world is online now.
Why would our social lives be any different?
Finding community around a shared passion makes life less isolating.
These small moments of impromptu joy are fun in a way that scheduling dinner with a friend just isnt.
If youre blessed to have a tight-knit group of IRL friends, incredible.
If you have one long-distance bestie and a handful of nearby acquaintances, thats also rad.
Besides, who gets to dictate what closeness actually means?
As Anne tells me, The world is small and magical.
Go ahead, slide into the DMs of someone you want to cultivate a stronger relationship with.
Not only is the world small and magical, but its yours for the taking.
