Bumble, the woman first social networking app that lets women make the first move in dating, friendship and professional networking, has found that three-quarters of Australians aged 18-45 years regularly experience feelings of loneliness.
A new campaign from the social app centred around International Friendship Day aims to show that it is healthy and necessary to form new friendships throughout life and to support women in finding new ways to do just that. Factors such as busy professional lives, increased instances of working remotely and pressure from social media are all contributing to feeling like those large social circles common during school and university days are shrinking with time.
This new research, commissioned for Bumble by YouGov Galaxy Research found that six in ten Australians feel that their friendship groups are becoming smaller as they grow older, whilst twenty-two per cent feel lonelier now that they did when they were younger. This is only exacerbated by the need to keep up appearances of a busy social life, despite often feeling lonely.
Michelle Battersby, Bumble Associate Marketing Director APAC, said of the campaign: “At Bumble, we understand the power of friendship. Bumble BFF is a safe and empowering ecosystem of like-minded women all looking to connect for different reasons. The statistics around loneliness are alarming. Our service is free and populated in a way that can really start to help tackle this issue.”
In honour of International Friendship Day, we’ve rounded up some of the best things to do.
1. Sign Up To Bumble BFF
Bumble BFF is a simplified way to create meaningful friendships, and it’s the perfect way to kick off International Friendship Day. This week, Bumble BFF is hosting The Hive, which is free to everyone with the Bumble app. The pop-up will feature Bumble’s friend-finding mode brought to life and is full of fun programs and events for everyone.
2. Take A Trip With Your Girlfriends
A new study revealed that taking an occasional minibreak with your friends is good for your mental and physical health. While there’s no denying the love family brings, Southern Living has reported that taking time to spend with your best friends can improve your overall mental and physical wellbeing.
3. Find One Of Australia’s Most Instagrammable Places
Find a great list here, because there’s nothing better than good food, pretty drinks and a new spot for the ‘gram.
4. Get Matching Jewellery
Celebrate that special friend (and yourself) with a sweet sentiment. Holly Ryan’s initial pendants are perfect (pictured below).
5. Strike Up A Conversation
Celebrating today could be as small as striking up a conversation with a colleague, the person sitting next to you on the bus, the barista making your morning coffee – the smallest of gestures can have the biggest impact.
