A Phone Call a Week...
Welcome back — I'm so happy you're here!
You know when you're scrolling Instagram, see a friend's post, and think, Oh good, they seem to be doing well! — only to realize you haven't actually spoken to them in months? Yeah, me too. We're more "connected" than ever, yet somehow also more isolated.
Social media is amazing for keeping tabs on friends and family all over the world. But all this "connection" can trick us into thinking we're truly caught up when we haven't heard their voice or shared a real conversation in ages.
We've become professional observers of each other's lives. It feels like staying in touch, but it's really more like... lurking with good intentions.
Social media connects us in some ways while isolating us in others. We're living in our own little screen worlds, consuming endless streams of other people's moments instead of creating our own. We know more about celebrities' daily routines than how our actual friends are doing. We can tell you what 76 people ate for breakfast but can't remember our last real conversation with someone outside our daily orbit.
After graduation, this gets trickier. We're settling into new jobs, cities, and routines. You may see family less. You're no longer necessarily living with your best friends, spending every second together. Everyone's scattered across states, time zones, and life stages — staying close suddenly requires more intention.
But here's the good news: meaningful connection doesn't take hours. Research shows that just 8 minutes talking to a close friend can boost your mood and reduce stress. Eight minutes! That's shorter than some TikToks.
So here's my gentle challenge: once a week, call someone you don't usually see or regularly talk to. Your grandma, old college roommate, a cousin, a mentor — anyone who would love to hear from you. It doesn't have to be long or profound; just enough to hear their voice, laugh about something silly, and remind each other you're still in one another's lives.
You'll be surprised how much it means — to them and to you. Because some things, like the sound of a familiar voice, just can't be replaced by a like or comment.
