Keeping friendships as you age: The host’s guide

By Jamie Hill - 13 December 2017

Opinion and Features

Making friends used to be so easy when we were younger. In university alone it seemed everyone knew everyone, and that our friendship circles were too big to comprehend. As we age, these friendship groups become smaller, encompassing only those who we truly love and want to spend time with. Once we become adults, however, it can be increasingly difficult to stay friends, even with those that we cherish most. This could be because you have had children, and the difficulty of being a first-time parent has taken time away from you, and as a result you have become distant from them. It could be because you have moved away to different cities or even countries. Regardless of how you have become distant, it’s time to fix things. Friendships are so important, and they are crucial to have, so use this guide to help you keep your friendships, today:

  1. Host Seasonal Parties

Sometimes, all you need to do to stay in touch with someone is to host a party. Hosting seasonal parties gives your distant friends the excuse to come over and see you. It also allows you to host them for more than just one night, meaning you can catch up on what’s been going on in your lives. Hosting parties, however, means that you need to ensure that all of your guests have a great time. A good way to do this is to have different activities and areas set up so that if your guests want to dance, they can, and if they want to sit down and talk, accommodate that, too.

  1. Make the Effort

If both parties don’t make the effort, then your friendship is doomed to fail. That is why you should at least try. If asking them to meet up works, then it works! It doesn’t matter if you are the only person who makes the plans, so long as they make the effort to actually meet up and see you. Luckily, though, the digital age means you can easily communicate with friends online – regardless of location. You could either chat over social media, show affection through liking their posts, or you could even play Unibet casino games with one another. Whatever you do, make an effort to stay connected.

  1. Make it a Habit

The more we see someone, the more effort we put into seeing them. That’s because friendships can feel integral to our happiness. To ensure you see more of your friends, then, you need to make it a habit. See your best friend once a week for a brunch, for instance, or go on an annual vacation with your old uni housemates. Whatever you do, make it a consistent event that your friends can schedule around. Staying friends is difficult when you have a lot of responsibilities keeping you busy, but it isn’t impossible. Host parties, make the effort, and make your meet-ups habit and you’ll see more of your friends, and stay in touch with your friends who live far away from you. This will make your life infinitely better once your children move out, and once you retire.

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