Have any of you made new or lost friendships? Did you maybe hear some interesting stories or even experience something fantastic or rare in terms of friendships during COVID-19? And did you already collect some ideas or need some more inspiration on how to make your relationships last and survive the next lockdown? 

We spoke with four inspiring women about these issues during our last City Talk on 22 October, where everything was about #friendship in the times of Corona. During this really interesting and pretty cosy conversation among friends, we gained some exciting insights into friendships, their special challenges, and possible opportunities in times of social distancing and lockdowns around the world. 

Whether you missed the talk (you can listen to it again here, by the way) or have already completely internalised it, you can now take your time to browse through our Top 7 tips and let yourself be inspired for your friendships and relationships! 

THE SPEAKERS

Kristel from the Arthood Collective (Amsterdam) - Arthood is a collective of women who reflect on today’s society. “We want to evoke questions, stimulate the mind and bring up a conversation about themes such as sexuality, mental health, social equality, gender and the environment. We do this by creating art, editorials, events and talks.”

Christina Sánchez (Rotterdam) - She came to the Netherlands to study New Media & Digital Culture and recently moved to Rotterdam to experience the city vibes in this thrilling city. Working as a Gaming Journalist for a company in Madrid she is particularly interested in how to give women more space in the male-dominated world of video games but also how to use these tools to engage with friends & family through play. 

Alina Tang & Johanna Acs (Amsterdam & Budapest) - The two girls have been best friends since they were two years old and grew up together in Perth, Australia. With their artistic and innovative projects, they always strive to work with funky materials and colours. To reflect and strengthen their own and other people's friendships through art, they give inspiring workshops and besides produce some colourful and heartwarming pieces for your home.

OUR TOP-7 ON FRIENDSHIP

1. Grab your device and stay in touch with your loved ones via apps & social media - online games are a cool way to spend some quality time together without having to talk constantly!

2. Give your friends and family time and space for themselves if needed and don’t take it personally if they make use of it - use the time for some well-deserved self-care!

3. Create your own friendship experiences & routines like online language exchanges, digital dinner parties, or X to preserve/maintain your own “Principles of friendship” and feel closer to each other

4. Make use of online collectives and communities with like-minded people when “normal” friendships and family visits are not possible and experience a new feeling of “belonging” (listen to our City Talk about this topic)

5. Try to call friends and family who suffer the most, like the elderly or people with mental health problems, as often as possible to keep the connection with each other and fight dangers of isolation 

6. Really listen to your friends when they tell you about their problems - be honest, not judgemental, and supportive!

7. Use the time to think about yourself and your relationships: Which ones are the most important for you? Maintain them carefully and help each other through this challenging time! 

Stay tuned for our upcoming City Talks, for example, the next one on November 19 where everything is about #supportyourlocal during this second phase of lockdowns around the world. 

Stay safe and healthy and, most importantly, inspired, city enthusiasts! 

Words by Paulina