Figuring Out Your 20s: Navigating Friendships

It starts with defining what friendship should look like, ensuring you have the proper expectations and nurturing these relationships.

02.10.23
Figuring Out Your 20s: Navigating Friendships (Getty Images)

Friendships are a significant part of our lives. Older generations have demonstrated how we prioritize or invest in them in our 20s determine what we get out that will follow us beyond this decade.

Navigating friendships in your 20s as Gen Z is more complex than meeting someone, hitting it off and being friends forever. There are many things to account for, like categorizing people, determining who you want to be your friend, friend groups and social media.

Most of Gen Z is still understanding how to do friendships, so here’s what I’ve been learning.

For context, I graduated college nearly a year ago and moved 2,000 miles away from the city I was born and raised in, knowing no one in the city I now live in. I’m maintaining friendships from high school and college while building new ones in the city. 

First, I realized it’s crucial to align priorities and develop a rhythm within your friendships. I’ve identified good relationships I’ve built that I want to maintain and designate time to continue nurturing them. I regularly text, make Facetime or phone calls and engage on social media. These methods vary by friend, but it’s been easier to keep our relationships going based on what works for us to build momentum.  

Categorizing has saved my friendships. I understand how everyone operates and the capacities they’ve shown up in the past. I know who I can FaceTime and talk to for hours or the person who, when we’re back in the same city, we can meet and spend the whole day catching up. I stay open to meeting my friends where they are and ensure my expectations are appropriate.

Being in a tech-driven society, we must remember social media only paints part of the picture. Some moments are just not aesthetic enough for Instagram, but your friendship is still valuable and worthy of growing. Whether you have candid images highlighting your relationships or not, it’s all about the optics.  

Lastly, communication is essential. Having lasting friendships means ensuring all parties are aligned. The most mature thing you can do in your 20s is actively communicate in your relationships and get the reassurance you need. 

We all want to build meaningful relationships where we can feel cherished and valued while being raw and unapologetic. It starts with defining what friendship should look like, ensuring you have the proper expectations and nurturing these relationships. 

We all deserve good and fruitful friendships, especially since we’re in our 20s.

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