Thanks to teen dramas and the movies, it’s easy to think that everyone is still BFFs with their high school friend group and college roommate (as long as their roomie isn’t the worst, of course). But it’s not that simple to form new friendships, especially if you’ve moved to a new place (or even if you still live in your hometown, let’s be real).
TikTok user @jiabeas impressed absolutely everyone who watched her recent video when she made a new pal by striking up a conversation with someone she didn’t know. As she wrote in the caption, “making friends in Tokyo, Japan!”
Jia started talking to Tazkya and asked if she had Snapchat and Instagram. When Tazkya asked, “Do I know you?” Jia said “No. I just thought your makeup looked really nice.” Jia complimented her foundation, which is the Korean brand TIRTIR. She added, “We have something in common.” Tazkiya replied, “My foundation and you” and they started laughing.
It only gets more adorable from there! Tazkya called her new friend “brave” since she just walked right up to her and began a conversation. By the end of the video, they were laughing about how someone was filming them, and were about to grab some coffee. Am I the only one tearing up here?!
Unsurprisingly, everyone celebrated the new BFFs in the comments section. One user wrote that they “instantly became besties.” Another wrote, “LOVE GIRLHOOD!!” and said Tazkya “understood the assignment!!!!” A few people shared that they’re introverted and would be thrilled if others befriended them this way. One person hoped to learn if the two maintained their friendship, and based on the other videos Jia posted, they definitely seem to be.
Since having caring and warm-hearted friends is so crucial, this topic has been studied and researched quite a bit. According to Business Insider, a 2018 study in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships explained that you need to hang out with another person for 200 hours to say you are “close friends.” You’ll be “real friends” if that number is 90 and “casual friends” once you’re together for 50 hours. The American Perspectives Survey from 2021 found that, in the COVID-19 pandemic, around 50% of Americans said they weren’t in contact with one pal (if not more). And when 2,000 adults responded to a survey, 17% said they didn’t know a successful way to form a platonic relationship with someone. 48% said it’s more of a challenge as people age.
It’s sad to hear about this, especially when we know how wonderful it is to catch up with a good friend over dinner and drinks and how much everyone just wants to feel seen and understood by the people they care about. I’ve been like Jia and asked people out on friend dates and I’ve also wished it was easier to meet new people and actually bond with them. As life gets busier with work, kids, and adult responsibilities like cooking and trying to catch up on Netflix and all those podcasts you downloaded (that’s a priority!), it can be tough to find time for the people you’re already friends with, let alone trying to make new connections. But let’s be inspired by Jia’s friendly and warm nature. And let’s remember that everyone just wants to have some true and meaningful connections, so chatting with a stranger is always going to be worth it. And we might even make a new bestie!
Published: Dec 2, 2024 04:24 pm