In general, we feel very good in the company of someone else, which is why, from a very young age, we strive to have someone with whom to share good times. At first, perhaps we only seek that they have similar tastes to ours, to be able to carry out different activities together.
However, with the passage of time and with the experience that we acquire in life, expectations tend to be higher. For example, we are no longer satisfied with being pleasant, now we think of other qualities, such as being reliable, always having a good word to comfort us, being there in good times and bad, etc.
However, the truth is that with the arrival of Covid-19 and with the confinement measures that have been imposed on us, perhaps we have neglected our friends a little or we have not tried to meet people again. Would you like to expand your circle of friends, but do not know how to do it? Are you a lonely person, but would you like to change your situation?
In that case, don’t let the parrot go away! You don’t have to despair. In this article we will be sharing with you everything you need to know to make friends. Not satisfied with it, it is not about any kind of friendship, but about being able to establish true and lasting friendships. Best of all, you can do it virtually.
Therefore, do not stop reading these recommendations. Thus, you will get unconditional friends and, why not, perhaps, at the end of the quarantine, they can take friendship to a much more real and warm plane, the physical one.
Find paper and pencil and take notes so you don’t miss any details. Finding true friends, during this pandemic, will help you cope with it with a better attitude and it will pass much faster.
Instructions to make real friends virtually
Currently, it is possible to reduce distances and establish and maintain friendships virtually, through the use of the Internet. But what is a virtual friendship?
It is a type of relationship that is distinguished because two or more people develop an emotional bond, solely and exclusively, through the web, using a computer or some other device that makes remote interaction possible, regardless of the place. of the world where you are.
This can be achieved in many ways. For example, entering a chat room, through social networks and even applications specially designed to meet people online. But how to make real friends virtually? It’s possible? Of course!
- The first thing you need to do is head to the right place. This means that you should look for places that take you to people with whom you have things in common. For example, if you play a musical instrument, like pets, or belong to a religious group, use the Internet to find groups that share your interests. You can search for a local group through Meetup.com or by checking out the groups that are available in your area of Facebook. Don’t forget to take a look at the events as well. There you can find interesting people.
- If you like to play online, use your headset to strike up conversations with other gamers. This is a great way to meet people who could become your friends. However, when conversing, make sure to be respectful. Avoid making comments that could be classified as rude, in case someone makes a mistake in the game. This will only get you kicked out or blocked from the conversation.
- Another good option is to follow, on social networks, people who are of interest to you. Use Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or Tumblr to find people who have similar interests to you. A good option is those who comment on your publications. Also, if you like cooking, you can follow someone who posts images related to that topic.
- You can also create a profile on sites and apps that are designed for the purpose of making friends or dating. Actually, there are many applications for this purpose. Some of them are: Bumble BFF, Patook, Hey! VINA, for women seeking friendship with other women, Masco tea, for pet lovers, among many others.
- Send messages to private chat. For best results, keep these simple and short. Ask an interesting question, related to your common interests, so you can continue the conversation.
- When you talk, give her your full attention and interest. Although the conversation is online, the lack of interest can be perceived. Therefore, try not to do anything else while you talk to the person.
- Do not talk too much about yourself, this could become very overwhelming for the listener. In addition, it could convey the mistaken idea that you are self centered, arrogant, or very vain. Start with the basics of your life and save the important details for when the friendship begins to go deeper.
While it is true that this is an alternative way of making friends, what are the advantages of it? It is necessary that you know it, because perhaps this will help you to take the step.
What do you need to make real friends virtually?
- Virtual friendship makes it possible to reduce distances. This is one of its main advantages. It is capable of bringing together people who are in different countries. In fact, there are different video call services, which contribute to making the experience more real, close and lasting over time.
- It offers the opportunity to express yourself more freely. Since some people find it hard to express themselves personally, this is a great way to find confidence when talking to others.
- It also allows cultural barriers to be transcended. You will be able to have friends all over the world and find out what their beliefs, customs and habits are, which will help you to start lasting friendships.
- It provides a sense of equality, which turns out to be very nice. In general, this type of friendship means that there are fewer things that make them different and many more that make them alike.
Of course, as expected, in virtual friendships not everything is rosy. Therefore, it is also important that you are aware of its negative side.
Your Disadvantages
- This type of friendship can lead to isolation. Since they feel so comfortable with whoever is behind the computer, they prefer to stay locked up talking to the person. So this becomes the only social interaction they have. It may also happen that they spend most of their time, busy or free, using their mobile phones.
- In these friendships there is an absence of physical contact. Hugs, handshakes, kisses on the cheek are important for the relationship to grow and consolidate and this is missing in virtual friendships.
- They can be addictive. Since they spend a lot of time interacting with these friends, addiction to the use of new technologies is generated. This can have negative consequences in fields such as work, family and even personal, since they tend to lose sleep talking until late at night, among other things.
- On the other hand, these relationships make it easier for scammers. Since there is usually no eye contact, scammers exploit these means to target victims. That’s why it’s important to be cautious about starting friendships virtually.
Tips for making real friends virtually
The success of this friendship will depend a lot on what you offer the other person, since they usually correspond to the treatment you give them.
For example, if you like respect, you should be respectful. If you expect it to be trustworthy, you should be too. In short, it is important that you treat the person as you would like them to treat you.
The reverse is also true, don’t do things you wouldn’t want others to do to you, like being late for a scheduled call, having inappropriate conversations, or asking prying questions.
Keep in mind that there are certain signs that allow us to see that things are going in the wrong direction. One of them is the lack of commitment. This may be due to disinterest or because a deep connection has not occurred.
In that case, the best thing you can do is take a step back and not try to communicate with the person, at least for a reasonable time. If he writes to you, it will be a sign of interest and that he wants things to improve. But, if it doesn’t happen, don’t take it personally. Remember that these means limit the opportunities to show your true virtues.
When looking for groups of friends, try by all means that they are close to the area where you live. This will make things easier if you want to take the next step and set up dates that are outside of the virtual world.
Do not ask for contact information at first. Values privacy, since the network lends itself to countless scams, many of which are carried out from the sharing of personal data that might seem simple, such as location, telephone number, address of the place of work etc.
Keep in mind that we currently live in a time of economic crisis worldwide and many scammers look for emotionally vulnerable people to get as much as they want from them. Therefore, be cautious and do not be fooled.
It is possible to make true friends virtually, but, just like in the real world, it takes time to find them and consolidate the bond that unites them.
