There really was a time when having friends meant you have to stepp outside, sit with people, laughing face to face or share moments together that could not be paused or edited. Things have changed a lot, especially with our phones and the internet in hand, we now have friends we may never meet in person, yet we feel close to them.
If we're being, it almost feels like we do not need physical relationships anymore with the way things are going. No doubt, online friendships can be very real, meeting someone who listens to you better than people around you. It feels like a safe space for introverts, who like to think before acting and hate to deal with pressure of physical.
But the big question is this, is this enough for us in the long run?
As sweet as it may sound, it is scary because one of the things that could happen is that we will become too comfortable online, slowly losing the desire to build real-life connections. It will become easy to stay in our rooms, talk through screens, and avoid the effort that physical bonding require. It feels peaceful but isolating.
Online relationships are not as deeper than they seem they are. It is very easy for people to show the best parts of themselves online and also easy to hide flaws, avoid hard conversations, or simply disappear when they sense discomfort. In real life, you can't just log out but stay, talk, forgive, and grow to bond even it's the hard route.
And since most people wants to show their best self and easily hide their flaws online, there is also the risk of trust. You may share your thoughts, your feelings, and even your struggles, but still not fully understand who is on the other side. The real world relationship will know more than what is shown online and so trust is built.
But I won't say online friendships are bad, they have the good side too. It is the chance where we get to connect to people we would never have meet otherwise. They can encourage us, teach us, and even open doors for growth like a lot of the people I have met online, especially my mentors. Sometimes, an online friend can support you in a way that will change your life.
Real life relationships will always win!
If we are being honest, real-life relationships still carry more weight and it's not because online friendships are fake but because human connection goes beyond words on a screen. Presence matters, sit with someone, share silence, laugh freely, or even cry together is something the internet cannot fully replace.
The best approach, in my opinion, is balance.
Personally, I am learning to bond with people more intentionally off my phone or the internet because I have come to understand the importance in doing so. And if I am being honest, the few I've been able to make as friends offline recently made me feel what I haven't felt in a very long time because I focused too much on phone.
So my advice is, enjoy your online friendships, but do not let them replace your real life. At the same time, make effort in your physical environment, talk to people, build friendships where you are. It may feel harder, slower, and even uncomfortable at first, but it will be worth it over time. And to build online friendships, be intentional in actions.
Image used is AI generated.