Dorothy

Across multiple sources, there is broad agreement that forming and maintaining friendships in adulthood is challenging due to life changes such as relocation, career demands, and family responsibilities. NPR Life Kit features insights from friendship coach and psychologist Marisa Franco, emphasizing that vulnerability, intentionality, and creative communication can help deepen platonic bonds—even across long distances. The network’s segments highlight evidence-based approaches, including scheduling regular check-ins and being proactive about reaching out, as effective tools for sustaining connections. The New York Times Style piece similarly acknowledges the difficulty of adult friendship but frames it more as a cultural and emotional challenge, encouraging readers to begin by simply taking small steps toward connection without overcomplicating the process. While all sources agree on the importance of effort and emotional openness in friendship, they differ slightly in emphasis. NPR’s coverage leans heavily on psychological research and expert guidance, positioning friendship as a skill that can be learned and improved through practice. The Times piece, by contrast, adopts a more reflective, lifestyle-oriented tone, focusing on the emotional barriers and societal shifts that make friendship feel elusive rather than offering a step-by-step guide. Neither source attributes the decline in adult friendships to political or systemic causes; instead, they center individual agency and behavioral change. All agree that physical distance need not end friendships—only require more deliberate effort to maintain them.