In 2023, the number of internet users worldwide reached 5.3 billion, meaning that about two-thirds of the global population is now connected to the World Wide Web.
People use the Internet in a variety of ways, including to establish social connections. For those of you wondering whether online friendships are worth your time, here are a few areas in which such relationships can impact your life.
1. Can Broaden Your Social Circles
Thanks to digital platforms, people can now make friends with others from different parts of the world. This worldwide access enables you to interact with individuals from various nations, cultures, and backgrounds, thereby potentially enhancing your social life and global awareness.
Examples of such places include social media sites like Facebook or Twitter, forums, and multiplayer online games where connections are built around shared interests or experiences; these often lead to deeper conversations and alternative views that may not be found within one’s immediate environment.
Wider personal networks established through these means may have several benefits both in personal and professional aspects of life.
For instance, networking on the Internet could result in finding jobs, collaborations, or partnerships which may otherwise be impossible. As you might know, some people even find long-term romantic partners.
2. May Help You Find the Emotional Support That You Need
Having acquaintances across multiple time zones may also be of help when you need emotional support. Your online pals may be available when your “physical” ones are sleeping and may offer you a different perspective concerning your issues that you find of value.
Even better, having an “e-friendship” might be of particular help to individuals with unique hobbies/passions, those experiencing medical conditions that limit their ability to go out and socialize, or those who struggle with social anxiety.
There is no reason why the Internet cannot be a place where you can find a true friend who understands you and supports you.
3. You May Find People with Common Interests and Hobbies
People with quirky hobbies and interests have a harder time finding people who share their passions. This is another situation in which online friendship opportunities can save the day.
Shared interests or hobbies are, in fact, often the foundation of online friendships; these can range from literature, gaming, and fitness to more specific ones like rare book collecting or astronomy.
Platforms for certain areas of interest bring together people who may not have met others with similar passions in their immediate surroundings.
Sharing resources and knowledge is also a key benefit fostered by such friendships. For instance, within communities dedicated to learning new skills such as coding or cooking, people can gain a lot from each other’s experiences and expertise in those areas – thus learning faster while making friends.
4. You Can Learn New Things
While you should never overtrust what other people are saying, friendship can be a source of extra knowledge and self-improvement. More specifically, if you interact with people from different cultural backgrounds or who have specific types of knowledge, you may get exposed to fresh ideas and thought patterns.
Such exposure can widen someone’s outlook on life, perhaps making them more receptive to views that are different from yours.
A good example is learning a new language. Let’s say you are learning Spanish. While watching videos in Spanish can be helpful, interacting with Spanish speakers can significantly speed up the learning process.
Another example of how you can learn new things from going social over the Internet is virtual communities formed around a specific interest. For example, if you are learning how to code, you can join a community where you can work on open-source software or even on private projects with other members.
In this kind of engagement, you may not only learn how to acquire new competencies but also how to effectively work with other people. As you likely know, such sets of abilities are useful not just at the personal level but also at the professional one.
5. You May Improve Your Digital Literacy and Online Communication Skills
If you are not satisfied with digital skills, making online friends can also be an opportunity to do something about it. By using different social platforms, you learn how to move through different interfaces, acquire skills in knowing what is right or wrong while in this or that network, and practice effective management of online conversations.
Being able to communicate well over multiple digital channels can be life-changing, professionally speaking. For example, you may need good writing skills when sending emails or good presentation skills to engage in virtual meetings.
Social media can be an opportunity to learn these often-needed skills while also making new acquaintances or even friends in the process.
Bottom line: Online Friendships Can Be Worth Your Time
If you found any of the examples above relevant to your situation, it may well be the time to start looking for online friendships. This type of relationship, like the ones taking place in the physical environment, can be an opportunity to receive and provide emotional support.
More so, the Internet can sometimes be a place where it is easier to find people with similar hobbies and interests.
Last but not least, just as in the physical world, the online environment is not completely safe. Not everyone is who they say they are, and not everyone has good intentions toward you.
To make the best out of your online relationships, do not overtrust strangers and be protective of your personal data. As long as you are careful and know how to navigate the Internet, there is a good chance you will form new relationships with people from all over the world.
