Making new friends and maintaining current friendships can become more difficult as we get older. In fact, a recent poll found that 27% of Millennials have no close friends, while 22% said that they had no friends at all. Meanwhile, 15% of Gen X and nearly 10% of Baby Boomers say that they have a lack of friends. More than half of all the people who participated in the survey said that it’s hard to make friends because they’re shy, while others said that friendships take too much work or they’re too busy for that.
Still, there’s no denying the fact that having no friends can be incredibly lonely, and this is the reason why so many of us have turned to the Internet to form connections. For most people, online friendships can be just as rewarding as real life friendships since they can benefit one’s life in different ways. Here are all the reasons why our Internet friendships matter.
Connections are Formed Over Shared Interests
Most real life friendships are formed because of geographical location. Think about it– perhaps you met your closest friend while attending the same school, you lived in the same neighborhood, or maybe you work in the same office. But in the case of online friendships though, most, if not all, are formed over shared interests. According to recent data, 57% of teens have met new friends online, and the most common places to meet friends are specific interest groups in social media sites, as well as online gaming sites. Before the age of the Internet, people would make friends by being cordial with the individuals that they see everyday. Now, we’re forming bonds with people online because we share the same tastes in music, books, movies, or hobbies. This makes conversations easier and more fun for everyone.
It’s Easier to Spend Time Together
For most adults, it can be challenging to find some free time to bond with friends as most of their waking hours are usually spent on family, work, and personal responsibilities. Being unable to spend time together is the reason why so many friends drift apart, even if they’ve known each other for a long time. But with online friends, it’s easier to spend time together because you don’t have to coordinate free schedules, get a sitter to mind the kids, or drive to another part of town just to talk. You simply have to log on, and they’re there for you.
Depending on your shared interests, you can play games on social gaming sites, chat about your favorite band or singer on community forums like Reddit, or discuss fanfics on social media platforms like X even if you only have an hour to spend online every few days or so. The convenience of online connections is what drives a lot of busy and lonely Millennials to form Internet friendships– in fact, a new research reveals that a quarter of all Millennials now make all their friends online.
Connecting on a Deeper Emotional Level
Talking to people online is easier than having a conversation face-to-face. This is what makes online friendships so great for introverts, and for people who have a hard time talking about their feelings. According to psychologist Leanne Hall, having a sense of anonymity in virtual communities makes it easier to share certain parts of yourself that you may otherwise find difficult. “It means people can often open up a bit more,” she adds. By allowing people to know more about you, you build a sense of trust, and this allows you to connect on a deeper emotional level
Online friendships can be just as rewarding as real life ones. However, make sure to trust who you engage with before opening up, and set boundaries so that everyone will be on the same page as your friendship grows.
