Spending time with friends is a noble thing to do; it strengthens the bond and enlivens the relationship. No matter where you live, there are plenty of fun things to do with your friends any time they show up.
There’s no doubt about it: everyone needs friends. But when so many of us now live miles from our friends, the connection loses its grip as the benefits of companionship, emotional support, and practical help are left out of play. Therefore, the beauty of friendship is one that is spiced with fun.
If you are having difficulty figuring out what to do with friends all time, this article presents a plethora of options to choose from.
Benefits of Friendship
Friendships can have a major impact on your health and well-being, but it’s not always easy to build or maintain friendships. As such, it is important to understand the benefit of friendships in your life and what you can do to develop and nurture friendships.
In a 2010 analysis of 148 studies comprising over 308,000 people, psychologists from Brigham Young University, USA, found that people with good social connections live longer, and they concluded that having weak social connections is as risky to health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
Professor Suzanne Degges-White, chair of the Counseling, Adult and Higher Education Department at Northern Illinois University, USA, who has written several books on the subject, acclaims the many benefits of friends. “Friends boost our self-esteem and give meaning to our lives. They make us feel we matter. Knowing we have good friends, people who understand us is life-enhancing,” she says.
Here is the list of the benefits of friendship:
#1 Less loneliness and social isolation
Everyone needs social connections to survive and thrive. But as people age, they often spend more time alone. Loneliness and social isolation can affect mental and physical well-being, and more and more people are feeling lonely these days.
To understand the difference between these concerns, think of it this way: Friends help you avoid isolation, but good friends help prevent loneliness.
#2 Reduced stress
Everyone faces some stress. It can come in large or microscopic doses, but no matter how minor it seems at first, it can quickly pile up and overwhelm you.
Spending time with friends can also help reduce stress. According to Harvard Medical School, social connections help relieve levels of stress, which can harm the heart’s arteries, gut function, insulin regulation, and the immune system.
#3 Emotional support
Emotional support is an important benefit of relationships.
Your friends might support you by:
- listening — really listening — to your problems
- validating your feelings
- doing nice things for you just because
- helping distract you when you feel sad or upset
If you have a romantic relationship, you might go to your partner first. This is perfectly normal, and romantic partners can absolutely offer comfort and reassurance. However, they shouldn’t be your only source of emotional support.
Relationship experts recommend maintaining friendships with people besides your partner, as this can benefit emotional health alongside relationship health.
#4 Friends help build your confidence
Everyone has self-doubts and insecurities now and then. But having supportive friends plays a big role in building your self-esteem, or how much you appreciate and love yourself.
Supportive friends can help you feel more confident by offering praise and reassurance when you’re feeling unsure. They’ll shine a light on just how amazing you are and how much you offer others.
#5 Friends motivate you
Friends are a substantial source of positive influence. If you make friends with people who are generous with their time, help others, ambitious or family-oriented, you are more likely to develop those values yourself.
Noble friends have the power to mold you into the best version of yourself. They see you and love you for who you truly are. They encourage you and push you to be the best version you can be.
21 Fun Things To Do With Friends All The Time
Here are 21 fun things you can do with your friends all the time.
#1 A potluck dinner party
Host a dinner party and ask everyone to bring a dish to share. If you are not comfortable cooking, maybe try to learn how to cook a new dish together with your friends.
#2 Host a spa day
Give each other manicures. Try out new hairstyles. Make some facial masks or exfoliates using natural, at-home ingredients. Then drink mimosas.
#3 Movie marathon
Log into Netflix and watch every episode of “Stranger Things” Or do an ’80s movie marathon, watching “Pretty in Pink,” “The Breakfast Club” and all of our old favorites. Don’t have a Netflix membership? Get the free trial just for the marathon!
#4 Pinterest party
You know all of those cool Pinterest crafts you say you’re going to do? Do them. At home one night with friends. Then make up some of those bacon-wrapped whatever you’ve been dying to try!
#5 Go to the park
Pack a picnic. Hang out. Watch people. Play on the swings.
#6 Have an organizational party
Set up a day of each weekend where you go to each of your friends’ houses and help them clean out a closet, a room, a garage, whatever. Serve drinks and food and trade stuff among yourselves.
#7 Volunteer together
No matter which type of organization you choose to devote your time to, it’s always more fun when you have a pal with you. You’ll connect on a different level after giving back—grab a tea or have dinner together afterward, and talk about your experiences.
#8 Concerts in the park
All summer long, many parks host free concerts. Go with your friends. Hang out, bring a picnic dinner. This is a very relaxing way to chill out on a hot summer night after work.
#9 Volunteer together
Offer to do the yard work for the local senior center or hang out with the kids at the YMCA. After a few hours of volunteering together, you will have a new respect for each other and something new to chat about.
#10 Play board games
Drag out the Scrabble or the Yahtzee. You can hang out and play many games with large groups or small ones. Hold a tournament and compete against each other. Here’re some board game ideas.
#11 Video game tournament
Not into board games? OK. Well, how about a video game tournament? Whether it’s the latest dancing game or “Call of Duty,” play against each other and award prizes (or food) to the winners.
#12 Grab a ball and a bat and go play baseball at the local park
Grab a basketball or a tennis racket. Most parks have courts and fields you can use for free as long as there isn’t an organized event going on.
#13 Karaoke
Got a musical friend? Invite them over with their instrument in tow. A couple of drinks will make you forget your voice is more Rebecca Black than Rihanna, and you’ll be screaming your heart out with your besties to the latest chart hits in no time.
#14 Solve puzzles
Whether they be of the jigsaw type or a brain teaser, you’re exercising your inner strength and practicing patience and determination.
#15 Go dumpster diving
Yup. I said it. Dumpster diving can be a lot of fun. You would get dirty and clean up later. Check out the dumpsters in your area and see what you can find. You might even find dinner! It is one of the fun things to do with friends when you’re bored.
#16 Go to yard sales
Take all that money you made at your yard sale and cruise around your town together looking for cool stuff. Maybe you could even fix something up and resell it.
#17 Poker Night
Whether you organize it for fun or money, a poker night is a fail-safe fun time – especially if you’re all amateurs. Add drinking games and wear sunglasses – pro poker style – for even more hilarity.
#18 Treasure Hunt
Prepare your clues and hide them around the house. Each one should lead to the next, and the final should bring the winner to a special prize. There’s no need to complicate things: make it a bottle of wine or something just as simple.
#19 Attend A County Fair
County fairs are the pride of rural areas because farmers prepare all year to show off their best animals and their best produce.
#20 Have A Costume Night
You don’t have to leave the house to appreciate embodying a character or some identity other than your own.
#21 Read good books
Don’t get stuck in the non-fiction or bust mindset. Fictional stories are metaphors and it takes depth and wisdom to unpack them. Reading excellent books remains one of the fun things to do with friends as it helps you learn and play simultaneously.
Conclusion
While this blog post explored some of the fun things to do with friends, there are a lot of activities to explore. Go out there, have fun and create magical memories!
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