I do a newsletter with 3 groups of friends (high school besties, college besties and an OG bestie). I do it through Letterloop and there's a bank of really meaningful and cute questions to choose from. It's been such a wholesome way to stay in touch :)
I'm LOVING this idea so much. I never thought to do a newsletter with friends! Letterloop looks very easy to use and I love that it gives you interesting questions so you can really get to connect and learn about one another. What a great & creative way to keep in touch, thank you for sharing!!
YOU are the secret sauce to friendship! But I love the idea that sometimes we have to be inconvenienced to be a good friend. Most of the time when I make myself get out there and be social I end up being so grateful for the chance to be with friends. Another splendid and thoughtful piece!
Thanks for always carefully reading and responding to my posts 🫶 it is so appreciated. And I’ve come to strangely love being “inconvenienced” (aka having to put in more effort for things). It makes me appreciate things so much more—including lovely long distance friendships like yours!!!
This is so wonderful!! I JUST started sending my besties (all 3 live across the world) a necessarily long bi-weekly newsletter. It’s breakfast themed as if we were all sitting at a table together having breakfast. I tear up while writing and they tear up while reading. It’s so special!
STOP!!!!! I could not love this more!!!! Do you use any special program to make it look like a proper newsletter, or is it like an e-newsletter? I need to know more, I absolutely adore this idea!
🥰🥰 I do it in Notion so it can be however long I want it!! And I can add images and all the things to make it look real cute!
Each section is named after a breakfast item (The Main Dish: big project I’m currently focusing on; The Tea: a little gossip; The Table Scraps: pictures I drew that I really liked).
I also have a section (The Cat at the Table) that’s written from the perspective of my cat!😂
Then I simply publish the page and pop them the link, it works so so well!
Ugh, this is an incredible idea and those section titles make it about 100x more endearing! Thank you so much for sharing. Ideas like this make me realize that while it’s never ideal to have much distance between friends, we can find incredibly fun & creative ways to keep in touch 🥰
I love this so much! Such great tips. After living in five different places in my 20s, it's become a true art form to stay in touch with friends from far away. Something my brother and I do is have "virtual movie night" a couple times a month where we're on camera on Discord and watch something together on teleparty. It's a fun way to feel like we're in the same city even from 1000 miles away
I absolutely love a virtual movie night!!! I did them weekly for a year or so (shoutout to Discord!) with some of my study abroad friends. It was so comforting to know that I'm not the only person who has to verbalize every single thought they have while watching a movie LOL. Being in Germany and now 6-9 hours ahead of all of them makes it nearly impossible for me to join, but I so look forward to rejoining again in the future! What was the best movie you and your brother watched together recently?
So so so fun, I love that you did them too! So right now it's more accurate to call them tv nights lol since we're making our way through old seasons of taskmaster on youtube. So much fun to watch together and laugh with someone instead of watching alone. But with movies, I recently watched tampopo on the criterion channel and loved it! I wanna get back into more movies so if you have recs you've loved I'm all ears
Okay confession, it was also more accurate to call ours tv nights lol! We were watching korean dramas and korean reality tv shows. I think recently they've been watching classic movies they didn't see as a child, which is an excellent theme. Princess Bride, Neverending Story, etc. I have SO MANY I could add to that list! I feel like 1980s and 1990s movies are a dead zone for me, and my references to any movie from that time is nonexistent. So maybe that can be something fun for your brother and you to try!
Omg hahah I love that!! Movie night just hits different I can't explain it. But I love that idea so much, and it's so funny you say it because I also feel like I have these 80s/90s gaps in pop culture knowledge so this month my book club decided to pick a book that was huge then (Joy Luck Club) that we'd never read before, instead of feeling beholden to what's just come out and is trending. Will def be applying this to movies!
AHHH!!! I read Joy Luck Club about 2 years ago (so also very late to the party) but I say it was love at first paragraph. I adored it. That's an excellent pick for a book club. My friend Ashini just wrote an essay about the author and how that book specifically affected her, so here's a companion piece to go along with your reading, lol! https://dandelionrevolutionpress.substack.com/p/in-her-words-the-joy-of-amy-tan
A couple of my friends and I have been sending each other video messages over Google Meet since 2020. It cuts you off after 1 minute but you can can always send another (and another and another...)
I've never heard of Marco Polo before so I'll definitely have to check that out.
Love that!! Sounds like you’ve been “small p podcasting” longer than me! Marco Polo sounds pretty much exactly like that…except it doesn’t cut you off, so mine and my cousin’s videos can quickly become very rambly and chaotic 🤣
I know, I love the example in Priya’s post that talked about actually editing together a weekly podcast for your friends. That would be so silly and fun 😂
Great points!! I love the journal exchange - I don't know how many 20-somethings today would do that since they would rely more on social media channels. However, the biggest part is making the effort and keeping up with the communication - whether it's on a chat or a social media or a phone call. Of course, seeing each other in person is the best and it'll feel like time never passed. Oh, I love the artwork!! :-)
Oh 100% seeing each other in person will always be the best!!!
I love the journals too and feel so lucky that we’ve been doing them so long. I remember reading about the idea in an article in 2016, which is why I try and plug the idea as much as I can online. I hope some 20-somethings out there may see this and be inspired to do it with their own friends! Social media channels can help us stay connected, but IMO theres nothing quite like seeing my friends’ handwriting and doodles and knowing that they spent time creating this thing, just for me. 🥰
Oh, and thanks for the artwork compliment. It’s a work in progress 🤣
I do a newsletter with 3 groups of friends (high school besties, college besties and an OG bestie). I do it through Letterloop and there's a bank of really meaningful and cute questions to choose from. It's been such a wholesome way to stay in touch :)
I'm LOVING this idea so much. I never thought to do a newsletter with friends! Letterloop looks very easy to use and I love that it gives you interesting questions so you can really get to connect and learn about one another. What a great & creative way to keep in touch, thank you for sharing!!
YOU are the secret sauce to friendship! But I love the idea that sometimes we have to be inconvenienced to be a good friend. Most of the time when I make myself get out there and be social I end up being so grateful for the chance to be with friends. Another splendid and thoughtful piece!
Thanks for always carefully reading and responding to my posts 🫶 it is so appreciated. And I’ve come to strangely love being “inconvenienced” (aka having to put in more effort for things). It makes me appreciate things so much more—including lovely long distance friendships like yours!!!
I feel love for this post.
I feel guilty about not writing you back.
I feel envious of that traveling journal practice.
I realize I don't need to be envious because I can go get a journal and write in it and send it to you - duh!
I understand that it's the middle of the night and I cannot go do that now, sadly.
I put it on my to-do list.
I go to bed.
I read this comment.
I smile.
I reply to you so you can see it during the day and go get a journal for us!!!
<3
This is so wonderful!! I JUST started sending my besties (all 3 live across the world) a necessarily long bi-weekly newsletter. It’s breakfast themed as if we were all sitting at a table together having breakfast. I tear up while writing and they tear up while reading. It’s so special!
STOP!!!!! I could not love this more!!!! Do you use any special program to make it look like a proper newsletter, or is it like an e-newsletter? I need to know more, I absolutely adore this idea!
🥰🥰 I do it in Notion so it can be however long I want it!! And I can add images and all the things to make it look real cute!
Each section is named after a breakfast item (The Main Dish: big project I’m currently focusing on; The Tea: a little gossip; The Table Scraps: pictures I drew that I really liked).
I also have a section (The Cat at the Table) that’s written from the perspective of my cat!😂
Then I simply publish the page and pop them the link, it works so so well!
Ugh, this is an incredible idea and those section titles make it about 100x more endearing! Thank you so much for sharing. Ideas like this make me realize that while it’s never ideal to have much distance between friends, we can find incredibly fun & creative ways to keep in touch 🥰
I love this so much! Such great tips. After living in five different places in my 20s, it's become a true art form to stay in touch with friends from far away. Something my brother and I do is have "virtual movie night" a couple times a month where we're on camera on Discord and watch something together on teleparty. It's a fun way to feel like we're in the same city even from 1000 miles away
I absolutely love a virtual movie night!!! I did them weekly for a year or so (shoutout to Discord!) with some of my study abroad friends. It was so comforting to know that I'm not the only person who has to verbalize every single thought they have while watching a movie LOL. Being in Germany and now 6-9 hours ahead of all of them makes it nearly impossible for me to join, but I so look forward to rejoining again in the future! What was the best movie you and your brother watched together recently?
So so so fun, I love that you did them too! So right now it's more accurate to call them tv nights lol since we're making our way through old seasons of taskmaster on youtube. So much fun to watch together and laugh with someone instead of watching alone. But with movies, I recently watched tampopo on the criterion channel and loved it! I wanna get back into more movies so if you have recs you've loved I'm all ears
Okay confession, it was also more accurate to call ours tv nights lol! We were watching korean dramas and korean reality tv shows. I think recently they've been watching classic movies they didn't see as a child, which is an excellent theme. Princess Bride, Neverending Story, etc. I have SO MANY I could add to that list! I feel like 1980s and 1990s movies are a dead zone for me, and my references to any movie from that time is nonexistent. So maybe that can be something fun for your brother and you to try!
Omg hahah I love that!! Movie night just hits different I can't explain it. But I love that idea so much, and it's so funny you say it because I also feel like I have these 80s/90s gaps in pop culture knowledge so this month my book club decided to pick a book that was huge then (Joy Luck Club) that we'd never read before, instead of feeling beholden to what's just come out and is trending. Will def be applying this to movies!
AHHH!!! I read Joy Luck Club about 2 years ago (so also very late to the party) but I say it was love at first paragraph. I adored it. That's an excellent pick for a book club. My friend Ashini just wrote an essay about the author and how that book specifically affected her, so here's a companion piece to go along with your reading, lol! https://dandelionrevolutionpress.substack.com/p/in-her-words-the-joy-of-amy-tan
High praise!! I'm so excited to read now and can't wait to read Ashini's piece right after 🫶
A couple of my friends and I have been sending each other video messages over Google Meet since 2020. It cuts you off after 1 minute but you can can always send another (and another and another...)
I've never heard of Marco Polo before so I'll definitely have to check that out.
Love that!! Sounds like you’ve been “small p podcasting” longer than me! Marco Polo sounds pretty much exactly like that…except it doesn’t cut you off, so mine and my cousin’s videos can quickly become very rambly and chaotic 🤣
I love these mediums! I would love to try a few with my friends.
Thanks for reading, Maryvonne 💛 is there any fun ways you keep in touch with friends now?
I mainly use calls and group chats but I would love to try the small p podcasting. It seems really fun!
I know, I love the example in Priya’s post that talked about actually editing together a weekly podcast for your friends. That would be so silly and fun 😂
I love this so much Paige!!
Thank you for reading, Aja! 🥰
Great points!! I love the journal exchange - I don't know how many 20-somethings today would do that since they would rely more on social media channels. However, the biggest part is making the effort and keeping up with the communication - whether it's on a chat or a social media or a phone call. Of course, seeing each other in person is the best and it'll feel like time never passed. Oh, I love the artwork!! :-)
Oh 100% seeing each other in person will always be the best!!!
I love the journals too and feel so lucky that we’ve been doing them so long. I remember reading about the idea in an article in 2016, which is why I try and plug the idea as much as I can online. I hope some 20-somethings out there may see this and be inspired to do it with their own friends! Social media channels can help us stay connected, but IMO theres nothing quite like seeing my friends’ handwriting and doodles and knowing that they spent time creating this thing, just for me. 🥰
Oh, and thanks for the artwork compliment. It’s a work in progress 🤣