Low-maintenance friendships are on the rise and here's why we’re apart but closer than ever

Maybe your real soulmate is the friend who disappears, reappears and still feels like home every time.

Nov 14, 2025

When we were younger, we assumed our friendships would look a lot like the ones we saw on TV—effortless, constant, and always within arm’s reach. Someone would drop by unannounced, we’d stay up talking until 2 am, share apartments, go on spontaneous adventures, and stay inseparable through every phase of life. We all imagined a Rachel-and-Monica kind of closeness, but adulthood quietly rewrote the script. If someone had told us those schoolyard friendship bracelets weren’t lifelong guarantees, we would’ve taken it personally. And yet, even without the sitcom version, we still found our people—the connection just looks different now.

These days, the only person consistently ringing the doorbell is the delivery rider, but our friends still show up where it counts. Breakup? They’re there with ice cream, comfort food, and the number of that guy you flirted with last weekend—just in case. New job? They arrive with cake, candles, and that gently smug “I knew you’d get it” energy. Too much tequila? They’re the ones holding your hair back, laughing through the chaos, and making sure you get home safely.

Most days, friendship is just memes sent at strange hours and voice notes you reply to whenever your social battery allows. But the moment life starts to feel overwhelming, they’re already helping you pull yourself together. Maybe this is what friendship looks like now—not daily calls or constant plans, but something quieter, steadier, and deeply reliable. We didn’t get the sitcom version we imagined, but this low-effort, high-loyalty version feels far more real for the lives we actually lead today.

Friendships in the era of burnout

Being more attached to our phones than actual human beings comes with consequences—and burnout is one of them. Between doomscrolling, deadlines, and daily existential crises, we consume everything and absorb nothing. We’re overstimulated, exhausted, and chronically online, but mentally checked out. On top of that, people move away for work, for love, or for their own Eat Pray Love moment. Existing feels like a chore, so meeting friends requires planning, motivation, and emotional bandwidth we barely have.

That’s why, somewhere between scrolling and spiralling, you text them. You make plans you both know may never happen, send a voice note ranting about your day, or drop a meme that sums up your mood. And suddenly, you’re reminded you’re not alone. When everyone is fighting their own mini-crises, sometimes one friend showing up in your notifications is enough to get you through the day.

Understanding the pace of life

Life moves ridiculously fast now. Everyone is chasing opportunities, trying to stay afloat, and juggling a dozen commitments—and in that rush, friendships just aren’t maintained the way they used to be. The people you once saw every day become people you see every few months. You miss them, but you also know that phase is over.

But distance really does make the heart come alive again. That first hug after months apart brings back every memory since you met—and feels unbelievably wholesome. Meanwhile, everyone is busy keeping up with trends, posting the right stories, staying relevant, being productive, and trying not to self-destruct. But even in all that chaos, someone still sends a reel, a “are you alive?”, or a random life update. And honestly, that tiny effort is what keeps friendships together now. Not daily hangouts—just small reminders that you still matter.

The quiet kind of closeness

Real friendships today don’t need constant conversation or constant plans. They feel like home—the kind of home you don’t have to knock on because you already know you’re welcome. Nothing big has to happen. Nothing has to be perfectly explained. You don’t have to be present every day for the bond to stay strong. You just have to show up when it counts.

When you finally meet, it feels warm, familiar, and instantly right. Friendships now might not look like the ones we imagined growing up, but that doesn’t make them any less real. If anything, this steady, low-maintenance closeness feels more honest. It’s knowing everyone has commitments, but when the phone rings, you answer. It’s “you came—you called?” energy.

These friendships don’t demand much. They just stay. And unlike most long-distance relationships, these long-distance friendships actually last. Friendship is a privilege—especially when it respects someone’s emotional bandwidth.

Lead image credit: IMDb

Also read: Why you can’t heal in the same group chat that hurt you

Also read: Yes, you can love your friends and still mute them on social media

Low-maintenance friendships are on the rise and here's why we’re apart but closer than ever

Maybe your real soulmate is the friend who disappears, reappears and still feels like home every time.

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