Building Bonds, Making Memories, and Why it’s Worth it
Hannah
Find out why friendship is so important and makes an essential part of our lifes! More one acitivities with our better half.
The people we share inside jokes with, ask for help when facing the silliest problems, and who make us laugh while keeping us well-supplied with affectionate insults and (occasionally questionable) advice: Our friends!
Whether you’ve known each other for ages or just a few months, whether you’re the type of friend group to plan one adventure after another or simply enjoy sitting around and talking. Friends brighten up our lives. But as much as we love these people, keeping in touch and actually spending time together often turns out to be trickier than it seems.
When thinking about friendship, some questions come to my mind. How does this whole “liking some people more than others” thing even work? Why are friends such an essential part of our lives? And most importantly, what to do together when no one has a better idea than grabbing yet another coffee? (Don’t get me wrong, I like coffee, but I’ve gathered some alternatives to avoid overindulging in coffee-fuelled meetups.)
Finding Friendship
Of course, we’re not just making friends with any random person we meet. In a developing friendship, there are certain factors determining the success of a new relationship.
First of all, friends have a very similar view of the world! Often, we have not only the same ethical beliefs as our friends, but when comparing how we take in the world, friends seem to perceive things more similarly than strangers. And that makes sense! After all, understanding each other and sharing perspectives is a huge advantage when spending time together.
Wishing to be friends is quick work, but friendship is a slow ripening fruit.
After the initial meeting of new people, we often can assess rather quickly if we can imagine a friendship with them. I think we all know that feeling where the vibe just perfectly fits. Three to nine weeks is what it roughly takes to form a new friendship. For a close friendship, it might take three or four months to develop, given that you find enough time to get to know each other. Ranging from 6 to 160 hours, there are many different suggestions on how long it takes to form a friendship. In the end, it might simply come down to personal experiences, preferences, and the overall circumstances of a new friendship.
There is a quote by Aristotle saying: “Wishing to be friends is quick work, but friendship is a slow ripening fruit.” So, new friendships take time and effort, but you know… it’s about the friends we make along the way. (You see, I had to make that joke… it was a good template.)
Why Friends Matter
Especially during your studies, friends are really important. You’re exploring a completely new part of the world, taking your first steps into adulthood without the opinions and comments of your parents. There’s a lot of adjusting to new experiences, and friends help us find our way! Spending time with them not only provides comfort, but can also actively reduce stress. Friends help us reflect on our own behaviour, making it easier to navigate life. Together we can mutually offer solutions for problems and broaden our horizons. Spending time with our friends reduces loneliness and lowers the risk of depression or even cardiovascular diseases.
So, you see that there are plenty of good reasons to have friends; however, it’s not always easy to meet the right people. Especially when moving to a new city, making friends can be challenging at first. There are so many new people, and good conversations don’t always come naturally. I think, we can all relate to these awkward moments of silence from time to time! That’s why we want our THE FIZZ community to thrive and create perfect opportunities to meet great people!
Spending time together
It’s not only about meeting your neighbours; all THE FIZZ houses are designed to provide the perfect spaces to have a good time with your friends and build new connections. Bond over a new recipe and a delicious meal in the community kitchen. Or hang out in the community spaces to meet up or get to know whoever is there. I know, one big question remains: Sitting on a sofa together is fine, but does anyone have a more exciting idea? Preferably, one that doesn’t involve the awkward silence? Well, I promised you that I would!
Since the rainier days are coming up, here are some ideas just for inside:
- Go swimming, bouldering, or ice skating
- Enjoy some art or craft time; social media offers lots of ideas
- Have movie nights or reading nights
- Cook or bake together
- Go to an escape room
- Organize a gaming console and play together (no matter if it’s Let’s Dance, Mario Kart, or even Tetris)
- Host a poker night
- Set up a baking or cooking competition and let someone dramatically narrate who wins
- Visit an arcade hall or play laser tag
- Go bowling
- Enjoy some culture, go to poetry slams, readings, concerts, etc.
Of course, there are just as many ideas to make use of good weather!
- Have a picnic
- Go on a hiking trip
- Try geocaching
- Go to a climbing park
- Visit local festivals
- Plan a bike tour
- Have a fire pit night and make s’mores
- Go stargazing
- Visit an amusement park
Some of these are more expensive than others. Although prices for concerts or festivals might be lower for students, some events may need some saving up in advance.
But here are some more, and absolutely budget-friendly ideas:
- Try a TTRPG (I know it’s nerdy, but also pretty fun)
- Have a PowerPoint show with the weirdest topics
- Host a game night (no matter if online or board games)
- Try each other’s hobbies together
- Tidy up your apartment and sell things you no longer need online—together, it’s way more fun
- Have a trivia night
- Play sports together, no matter if you’re good at it or not (how about badminton, table tennis, or frisbee?)
However, the best opportunities to make new friends in THE FIZZ community are the events! Weekend brunches, mini-game tournaments, canoe tours, or field trips—our House Managers are always searching for the next exciting idea. These events bring people with similar interests together and give you something to talk about. Let’s be honest: “Do you have any go-karting stories?” is a way better conversation starter than “So, uh… what are you studying?” And if you have ideas for events that your House Managers haven’t thought of, don’t hesitate to share them and have a good time with new and old friends!
Sources:
https://www.quarks.de/gesellschaft/freundschaft-freundin-freund-gruende/
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0265407518761225?journalCode=spra
https://quotation.io/quote/wishing-friends-quick-work-friendship-slow-ripen
https://www.planet-wissen.de/gesellschaft/psychologie/freundschaft_gemeinsam_durch_dick_und_duenn/index.html
All photo rights by International Campus GmbH.