Friendship – Platonic Relationships
Friendship
(there could be a bit of crossover to our Fun & Variety theme, but I’m not even sorry… here goes!)
Let’s begin with some easy stuff.
Fun things to do with friends
Grab a Tea or Coffee
It’s obvious and you probably do it already – but going to your favourite cafe or checking out the new coffee shop in town is often just what the doctor ordered.
You could always (and I do this) go and sit in the lobby of a fancy hotel, or fancy bar in town and order a coffee from the bar.
A change of scene is lovely – it’s a great chance to catch up.
You don’t need to be staying there.
If it’s a new friend, it’s an easy option, as you can people watch, and you could keep it to a specific time slot – so there’s no awkward clock watching.
Find a Walking Trail
You’ll know just how much we love walking as a pursuit, as we devoted a whole month of posts to it,
but there is genuinely something special about exploring the big outdoors, walking, and talking.
The happy hormones that being outside and taking some light exercise together, will make you both feel great.
And there’s no pressure to talk constantly – as you have the scenery to keep you occupied.
Try Out a New Eatery
Tripadvisor is great for this, pick the area, and the kinds of things you want to eat, and go for a culinary adventure.
Breakfast is a fantastic one because it’s a little novel, and often great value.
You can talk about the food, the service, the decor – or even the other diners.
Restaurants often try a bit harder at the breakfast service as they know they’ll win you back for dinner one day if they do a great job.
Try a New Fitness Class
Ideally – something you’re both equally good (or bad) at – so one person doesn’t feel like a tag-along
Hold an American Supper
People love these and they are probably the least stressful of all the friendship activities.
If you’ve got friends that you’ve been dying to introduce to each other – this is a wonderful way to do it.
I’ve talked about this before – as I think they are great; everyone brings their own favourite dish and washes it up afterwards.
Minimal organising, means you just have to make the place look nice, make yourself look nice… and enjoy the company.
Find a Local Festival
We recently went to a beer festival (I don’t really like beer so I didn’t have any) but there was music, company, and fun all the same.
Most areas run festivals of one type or another throughout the year, from Christmas Light Parades to Music festivals in the summer.
Try keeping an eye out for food festivals.
These are super fun and you can try food you never otherwise would – and can speak to the people who made it.
Host a Film Night
We are great at doing this for teenagers but forget that having a movie night is a perfectly acceptable adult’s activity.
Whether it’s you and your bestie – or the ladies from Zumba, get some snacks together, invite them over and enjoy the home cinema experience.
Go to the Park
Somehow we’ve skipped from teenage hanging out straight to romantic walks – but a friend date in the park is a lovely thing.
Sit on the swings (if there are no kids hogging them) walk through the wooded parts, and rest on the benches.
If you want some fresh air, a natter with a flask of tea (stopping at the bakery is optional) at the park is a good option if you are not feeling super hikey energetic.
Do Some Baking Together
Unless you’re super comfortable in a friendship, making a dinner for two might feel a bit intimate for some friendships – but sharing the mixing, sifting, and decorating (and some of the eating) could become a regular diary fixture.
Batch Cook
If you’ve got a big enough kitchen (or damn it, even if you haven’t) why not get together to make enough food for both families for a week.
It requires a bit of planning, but 2 sets of hands, double the amounts, means you get it done in half the time, and a freezer full of food to last you all week.
Obviously with the radio turned up to 11.
Get Boring Stuff Done Together.
If you have to go into town, pick up some things from M&S, take in some Dry Cleaning and post a parcel – it sounds daft, but taking a friend along can make the whole thing much more fun.
If you are struggling to find the time to hang out together – you could get out and about, chatting and putting the world to rights as you get your to-do list cleared.
I often find that my friend needs to run errands as well and genuinely enjoys having company while doing so. The conversation during these errand runs tends to flow naturally as you’ll be busy most of the time.
Do a Car Boot Sale
On your own – they can be a bleak thing.
Together – you can be Rodney and Del Boy and have fun haggling over the stuff you don’t need.
You can either split the proceeds or donate it to your local food bank (or charity of your choice).
Go Charity Shopping
If you like that sort of thing, charity shopping is like hunting for treasure if you go with a friend.
You’ll pick up bargains, but also find things you just can’t buy anywhere else.
We often play – ‘find the most awful dress in the shop’, or the most bizarre bric-a-brac.
And if you want to get serious about it, find charity shops in more upmarket postcodes.
I got an incredible coat from a charity shop in Buckingham Palace Road.
Admittedly it was £50 but worth many hundreds.
Take Your Friend(s) to See Live Music or a Show
A bit more expensive, but the smaller local theatres are often value-for-money, and you can often see super inexpensive productions from local dance/theatre schools.
Unless you hate them (the arcades, not your friend) – go to an arcade.
Whatever you plan to do – you know we’d love to hear about it – and see the photos too.