Rediscovering Social Self-Care: The Value of In-Person Interactions Over Digital Engagement

How often do you see your dearest friends and when was the last time you saw them? One of the beautiful things about youth is hanging out with your friends. Past generations spent a lot of time with their friends all throughout their lives. 

It wasn’t just about playing outside. It was about grabbing dinner and having full conversations. It was about sharing a hobby and continuously adding memories to your photo albums. 

Prior to the internet, phone calls and letters were the main — and sometimes only — ways to contact those you loved; nowadays, with the advent of the internet and — subsequently — social media, we can contact and keep up with your friends and loved ones, but it’s definitely not the same.

Despite how quickly our society was overtaken by the technological revolution, it was gradual enough that it split one generation into two. Younger millennials and the eldest of the Gen-Z generation remember playing outside with their friends. They also remember when suddenly — seemingly overnight — they became immersed with Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly known as Twitter). It was new, fresh, and fun; while playing outside with your friends now seemed “childish”. Over a decade later and our society is feeling the vapid consequences of that era.

Now, we all have to shift our habits and get back to the old days. Human beings are social creatures, and many of us are currently overworked and anxiety-ridden. This anxiety can tire us out and lead to the avoidance of socializing. This avoidance limits our social skills and can ultimately lead us to losing very necessary social skills altogether.

It ends up taking more of our time than we realize, and we often find ourselves wanting to recharge. Unfortunately, when we do… we end up on our phones.

Messaging, swiping, liking, and commenting online can allow us to communicate with our community, but it can also perpetuate this false sense of visitation. It matters to actually see your friends in real life and save some updates for real life conversations.

That’s why making time and effort towards being more present and social in your real life is a form of self-care, specifically social self-care. Social self-care is the practice of nurturing healthy relationships and developing a social identity. Many people find themselves struggling to meet new people because they are not able to prioritize that inner need for spontaneity and social expansion.

Many people are feeling lonelier than ever, but are unable to satiate their social needs. Fortunately, we’ve created a way to help people find each other and build precious friendships. Our app allows you to meet new people with similar interests through cool locations around NYC — giving people the opportunity to foster adventure in our everyday lives. In fifteen seconds, you’ll be on your way to a whole new experience. Our app is available for download at the app store right now! The city is waiting for you, so don’t hesitate any longer.