What to do when a friend is over
6 things to do with friends (even when you're apart)
Student life Fiona Raleigh - 05 Jan 2021 - 5 min read
With practices like self-isolation and social distancing being so important for the world at the moment, you’ve probably been doing your part to help.
But it can be difficult to adapt to this different way of life, especially if you’re a sociable person. Don’t worry though, as there are lots of ways to stay connected to people even if you can’t be there in person.
So, if you’re missing your friends then take a look at our list of ideas for things to do with friends at home, even when you’re apart.
1. Have a games night
There are lots of websites and apps that can help you and your friends get together for some virtual fun and games. If you like board games, try Board Game Arena — it has nearly 200 games to choose from, it’s available in 41 languages and 300 countries, and it’s completely free!
Or, if you want to video chat while you play online games, why not download the Houseparty app and bring some competition into your friendly catch-ups?
2.
Missing your library hang-outs with your friends? Getting tired of studying at home on your own? Then why not schedule in a group study session online?
Tools like Zoom or Google Hangouts are great for getting lots of people together, and you can leave and re-join the call as often as you like. So, get your books out, put your heads together and conquer that assignment via video call!
3. Watch a movie together
You no longer have to be in the same room to enjoy a movie with your friends!
A new Google Chrome extension, Teleparty (formerly Netflix Party), allows you to share streaming accounts such as Netflix and Disney+ with your friends. It also brings up a chat box when you all watch a movie at the same time.
This means you can make fun of the cheesy acting or marvel at some great cinematography together in real time. This has got to be one of the best things to do with friends at home!
4. Catch up properly
In today’s world, we’re all so busy and it can be hard to find a moment to spend quality time with your friends.
Now is the perfect opportunity to take a step back and work on your relationships.
People’s lives aren’t as hectic right now, and there aren’t as many distractions, so grab the chance to really talk to your friends on the phone and catch up on the important stuff that usually gets pushed aside.
5. Start a book club
You might have a bit more time on your hands at the moment and you’re making room for more books in your life. Or, maybe you already read a lot and you’re enjoying the chance to discover even more books.
Whichever category you fall into, reading is a great habit to have (it can also help you improve your English!). So, why not start a virtual book club with your friends?
You could use Goodreads, join the #bookstagram community on Instagram, or simply organise a monthly video call to discuss the latest book you’ve read with close friends.
6. Cook together
If you usually cook dinner with your friends or roommates, then you might be missing that daily ritual.
You could video call one or two of them while you make dinner and then even eat your meal together at the table. It can be a good way to relax at the end of the day, and you’ll have someone to talk to while you have your dinner.
It’s more important than ever to keep your relationships strong, so get creative and try out some of these things to do with friends at home! Have fun!
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50 Fun Things to Do with Friends Right Now
From fancy dinners to weekend getaways, the most memorable moments in life are usually shared with your crew of besties. After all, who else is going to take main grid-worthy snapshots of you in your #OOTD, hype you up the whole time, and suggest the best IG caption? Even if you’re an introvert who needs alone time, you can’t deny that hanging with your friends just makes every experience one for the books.
But the thing about eating at the buzziest restaurant in town and jetting off to a tropical destination for a bachelorette trip is that it gets kinda costly—and fast.
One night at the bar everyone’s talking about can easily set you back a nice chunk of change (and maybe you're looking for fun things to do with friends at home anyway). When you need to be budget-conscious because you’re saving up for something big or you’re just trying to stack some cash, it often feels like you have very limited affordable options for bonding with your friends. Are all the fun activities really this expensive?!
Take a deep breath, because we’re here to report that no, having the time of your life does *not* have to bust your bank account. In fact, there are plenty of free (or super cheap) activities you can do with your BFFs. The biggest challenge you'll run into might be narrowing it down to the ideas you want to try first. So, without further ado, check out our carefully curated—and super affordable!—list of the most fun things to do with friends that are perfect to try any time of the year.
1. Have an at-home spa day.
Who needs to drop an entire paycheck on massages and manicures when you can recreate the whole experience in the comfort of your living room? Pick up a couple of sheet masks and you're golden.
2. Host a closet cleaning party.
Because you've been talking about cleaning out your closet long enough—it's time to bring out a little assistance (and tell your friends they can keep anything that's in the donate pile).
3. Play some board games.
There's nothing better than a classic game night. Have everyone bring their game (and drink) of choice for a night of competitive fun.
4. Go on a biking adventure.
Hop on a bike share with nowhere to go and see where the day leads. The best journeys are usually unplanned, right?
5. Plan a scavenger hunt.
It's the best way to see your city in a new light. And the winner gets bragging rights until your next hunt.
6. Check out an open mic night.
Encourage everyone to channel their inner poet, singer, or musician for an evening.
7. Host a potluck dinner.
Potlucks bring everyone together for the best reason of all: to eat! And a lot.
8.
Plan a retro movie marathon.Watching old movies is way better with friends. Collect your favorite black and white films, find a friend who still has a DVD player, and prepare for some memorable throwback moments.
9. Have a picnic in the park.
All you need is a blanket, some snacks, wine obv, and a portable speaker for a relaxing hangout.
10. Manifest your dreams with vision boards.
Go after your goals by visualizing them. It's a crafting and manifesting activity.
11. Explore local nature trails.
We guarantee that you'll discover something new, and you'll capture pretty, inspiring nature content along the way.
12. Go scouting for vinyl records.
Stop by a couple thrift shops and record stores, and see which albums you find.
13. Find a charitable cause to volunteer for.
Because giving back is so much more fulfilling when you can do it all together.
14. Have a friendly bake-off.
And best of all, you can feast on the finished products when it's all said and done!
15.
Host a clothing swap.Tired of your wardrobe? Instead of shopping for anything new, ask your friends to contribute to a clothing (and accessories!) swap so you can all switch up your looks.
16. Start a community garden.
Try to flex your green thumb (or lack thereof). Even if nothing grows right away, you'll feel more connected to nature, which is always a plus!
17. Head to the beach.
Or lake. Or river. Or pond. Just any body of water, really. It'll give you a moment of Zen.
18. Teach yourselves a new skill.
From juggling to knitting to making origami, there's a YouTube tutorial for that.
19. Visit a free or reduced admission museum.
Many museums offer certain days with free or reduced admission—perfect for taking in a little art and history when you're on a budget.
20. Make a time capsule.
Have everyone bring a couple items to throw in the capsule, bury it, and make a pact to open it up 10 years from now. Hopefully we'll be able to laugh at artifacts from 2020 at some point in the future!
21.
Rearrange your space.Watching too much HGTV got you inspired to switch up your home's layout? Ask your friends for their design suggestions as you move things around.
22. Start a book club.
That stack of books on your nightstand isn't going to get read unless you motivate yourself somehow.
23. Go on a dessert crawl.
I mean, dessert is the best part of the meal anyway. Pick a couple spots to visit and indulge your sweet tooth.
24. Try birdwatching.
All you need is as follows: a park, a notebook and pen (or your phone's notes app), and an observant eye.
25. Channel your inner painter.
Host your own paint-and-sip party at home with a bottle of bubbly, blank canvases, and paint supplies.
26. Start learning a new language.
Get on the language learning apps with your friends, because accountability is key when you're trying to master a different language. And, you need people to practice chatting with.
27. Write letters to your future selves.
Curious about what you'll be like in five years? 10 years? 20 years? Write to yourself at those various stages and give the letters to your friends for safe keeping.
28. Tap into your inner child at the playground.
When was the last time you spent an afternoon on the monkey bars and swing sets?
29. Get into frisbee.
Speaking of your inner child, we have a feeling they'd really appreciate a good frisbee game outside.
30. Have an Extra™ photoshoot.Get glam for a fun shoot with friends. You can be goofy and play model; plus, your friends definitely know how to find your light.
31. Go stargazing.If you live in a city, chances are you rarely get to enjoy the stars. It's time to change that!
32. Look up some free concerts.Whether it's at a coffee shop or college campus, there are usually live musicians performing for free somewhere.
Even if it's just in your backyard, which, for the record, we totally support.
34. Bar hop (even without the booze).People watching is what makes bar hopping the most fun anyway. And if you wanna grab a few drinks while you're at it, nothing's stopping you. Sometimes bars even have free trivia nights you can get in on.
35. Belt your heart out with karaoke.Where else can you unapologetically sing Celine Dion, be off key, and still get a standing ovation?
36. Go for a hike.A hike is the best of both worlds: a workout and an opportunity to gossip out in the beauty of nature.
37. Have a puzzle and wine night.Ask everyone to bring their puzzle of choice and see how quickly you can put 'em all together!
38. Visit the local animal shelter.If you leave with a puppy in hand, don't say we didn't warn ya (FWIW, volunteering is also an option, too).
If you haven't played sports since high school but miss getting competitive, this low-key option is definitely for you.
40. Send postcards to loved ones.Remember postcards? Yeah, those were fun. Bring them back with an evening of postcard writing with your friends.
41. Attend a book reading.Check out the schedules at local bookstores and libraries to get a sense of who's coming to read.
42. Donate blood.If no one in your crew is squeamish, this activity is not only ideal for bonding, but it's also super helpful to those in need.
43. Make care packages.Is someone in your friend group far away? Get together to make them a thoughtful care package filled with all their favorite snacks and treats.
44. Spend time at the local library.Libraries are basically heaven on earth—pick a few books you can all read together and exchange when you're done.
Bonus points if you film the final performance and make a TikTok of your own.
46. Go to a university lecture.The best thing about not being in college anymore? You can go to a lecture on a topic you're actually interested in for fun!
47. Try rock climbing.Look up a local climbing gym, take a lesson, and see how you stack up.
48. Head to the countryside.Sometimes you just need to get out of the city. Drive to the nearest small town and have a meal at a local restaurant for a quick getaway.
49. Go bargain hunting online.From Facebook Marketplace to Poshmark, you never know what gems you'll uncover.
50. Flip through magazines for an afternoon.When was the last time you read an actual physical magazine? Make it a whole experience with throwback tunes and tasty snacks.
Mekita Rivas Mekita Rivas is a freelance journalist based in Washington, D.C.
How to accept the fact that a friendship is over and move on.
This post is also available in: Italian
It is never easy to stop being friends with someone who has been close for a long time, but there are situations when it is necessary to do it. How to accept the fact that friendship is no more.
This has happened to all of us! The person was your closest friend and you shared with him all the sorrows and joys. But the moment came when you became for each other strangers and it's time to leave, because your friendship is over - it has become fake.
Watching a friend become a stranger and disappear from your life is not easy, even rather difficult! For many years you were each other's support and were always ready to help, rejoiced, cried and shared all the bitterness of defeats and failures.
And then the moment came when your friendship was transformed and turned into nothing. Yes, it happens and it's always sad !
How to understand that friendship is over, how to overcome that feeling of bewilderment that devours from the inside? How to put things in order in the soul of and in thoughts and put in order their emotions, which at this moment are not very pleasant.
First of all, let's figure out how to understand when to end a friendship?
Firstly, friendship sometimes ends not only because you have become uninteresting with each other and you have nothing more to talk about, friendship can simply come to its end by itself. you with a friend have become different , have achieved different social status, you have different views on the world, or something happened in your relationship that cannot be forgiven and cannot be changed. Why get angry, endure and accept what you don’t want. You have become different people and you are no longer on the path.
Everything ended by itself! And friendship must end!
Let's ask ourselves, what does friendship give you? You are interested in your friend's hobbies, he can tell you something new, teach you something, and you share his lifestyle! This is the kind of person you should be friends with.
How do you end a friendship?
Let's start with the fact that if something breaks down in a relationship with a girlfriend or friend, then probably there is some kind of feeling of guilt or resentment between you. Who was to blame is no longer the essence! It's just that you're probably not on your way.
Let's pay attention to this issue and write a letter (handwritten or electronic, but not whatsapp) to a former friend, where we explain the reasons for your breakup. It is necessary to make it clear to a person that not being with him is not selfishness and lack of attention, but an unwillingness to get bogged down in a heap of insults. Thoughts should be expressed calmly and without pretensions.
And remember that the person who hurt you taught you a lot! It was an experience and a very important one!
It is better to limit explanations to a minimum, the more we go into details, the more likely the risk of harming the opponent. Try not to remember the bad, focus on the best that happened between you. Thank the person for the time you were there and try to end the letter on a positive note. Because we don't know what's ahead of us.
Learn from mistakes? First of all, stop blaming yourself and think better about why the person did this to you so that you don’t repeat the mistakes of the past in the future. This does not mean that you have to become different and change your behavior in friendship, just analyze yourself in your tandem with a friend.
How to overcome the end of a friendship if a friend has left you?
Guilt again?! Try to avoid this by thinking that the person who decides to end the friendship with you is making his choice. It is possible that this person has changed, he has other needs, and therefore he does not reject you, but simply is looking for something else .
Which, in principle, can very well be and can happen to us too.
Let's accept our vulnerability, our suffering, reserving the right to ask ourselves questions only when we are in a stable psycho-emotional state. After all, the fact that the friendship ended was not a one-sided decision.
We also recognize that we are all human, we can make mistakes and even hurt, but it is best to try to be kind to ourselves first and then to others.
The most important thing is that it takes time to recover. Although it sounds trite, but time heals !
What to do if the friendship ended
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You can often find four questions on social networks that can be used to test friendship and decide whether to continue communicating with an acquaintance or not:
- would we still have a good relationship if I didn’t take the initiative myself?
- what "aftertaste" does I have after talking with this person?
- Have I managed to establish healthy personal boundaries in our communication and does my friend follow them?
- How often do we help each other and do not disturb the balance?
Psychologist Andrea Bonyor of Georgetown University says these questions can be helpful, but they should be answered in a context and context in which you have a relationship in general.
If your friend has been paying little attention to you lately, think about the possible reasons for this - maybe he is just going through a difficult period in his life?
“Perhaps your friend is going through a difficult or transitional period: for example, he is going through the death of his parents or he has a child. Or he has not communicated with you for a while due to psychological problems, depression or anxiety. If your relationship is out of balance, it's important to understand if it's temporary for obvious reasons, or if it's a serious disagreement that might make it better to end the relationship with this person," he explains.
How do you know that friendships have run their course?
Not all friendships are meant to last a lifetime, that's fine. Of course, no one suggests getting rid of friends because of the first petty grievance. But it is worth allowing yourself to stop communicating with certain people.
“You don't have to remain friends with those who are going through life in a different way or with those who are not ready to support you in achieving your goals.
Sometimes we "outgrow" each other. This is natural as we develop and change,” recalls psychotherapist Deborah Dali.
Strong friendship means mutual help. It may not always be perfectly balanced, but in the long run you should be more or less "in the balance". If one of you is selfish and constantly demands time, attention and support, while not reciprocating, the relationship may have run out of steam.
Another sure sign: the mere thought of communicating with a friend already tires you.
“The prospect of a meeting depresses you, although before you were always happy. Perhaps this person began to do things that are contrary to your principles, and you are wondering if you want to be friends with someone who behaves this way, ”says Deborah Dali.
“Pay attention to how you feel when a friend writes a message and suggests where to go together,” advises psychologist Marie Land. If there is anxiety or a bad feeling, this is an occasion to reflect.
How to properly end a relationship with a friend?
When it comes to romantic relationships, the notion is that you can't just let them fizzle out on their own.
But both Deborah Dali and Marie Land believe that this is acceptable in relationships with friends. “I don’t think it’s always necessary to directly tell a friend that you don’t want to be in a relationship. Often it is enough to gradually reduce communication to nothing, and he will understand everything himself, ”explains Dali.
Land agrees with this point of view: “Imagine your conversation with a friend like a tennis match. Start responding with one "serve" for every two "serves" from your friend. Gradually let us understand that you are busy and not ready to communicate.”
If you want to keep the relationship, it's worth explaining what you don't like about it right now. If not, you don't have to give a specific reason why you no longer want to spend time together.
“I'm all for honesty, but sometimes you have every right not to worry too much about the fact that friendship is fading away. There is nothing wrong with effective lies like “I now spend a lot of time at work, I rarely get to meet my friends!”.
