Yesterday evening was the monthly HYDAC (Halton Youth Disability Advisory Council) meeting and Friendship was the theme for the first half of the meeting. Friendship in itself is a complex myriad of different emotions, behaviours, and responses. For many in our communities it is not always easy learning coping mechanisms, and it takes both time and dedication to cultivate true relationships. But once you have those friendships they can last a whole life time.
How Long Does It Take to Make a Friend?
Why do we make friends with some people and not others? Scientists studied how friendships develop. As a result, they discovered the key to how to make friends in different situations. It’s all about time.
A new report published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships shows how much time people need in order to become friends. Study author Jeffrey Hall, a University of Kansas professor, surveyed 112 freshmen at the university. In addition, he asked them about people they had met since starting school two weeks before.
Next, he followed up with the participants four and seven weeks later to see how their relationships had developed. As a result, he found that it takes
* 50 hours of time together to move from acquaintance to casual friend
* 90 hours to go from casual friend to friend
* More than 200 hours before you can consider someone your close friend.
-In conclusion the council came to a consensus that the longer you spend around community members, friends, dedicating time and effort into listening, participating, and sharing thoughts and feelings - the better your friendship will be.
Next we had a special guest, Councillor Mike Cluett Halton Region / Town of Milton
He brought light to youth and their importance in our world, saying that it is their contributions to our communities that makes a difference. It’s your drive to creating positive connection that brings about a sense of belonging - everyone has potential and deserves to belong in their community.
Then he spoke about the importance of positive mental health. He reminded our youth that they matter. How they feel matters. That talking about feelings is positive and healthy.
He also added that cities and towns in Halton had resources for youth. Milton and Georgetown and Oakville have a wonderful drop in youth centres as well as online opportunities.
Our crew added their thoughts, spoke about the importance of coping mechanisms, resources that youth could access if needed. The importance of mental health drop in centres. They the came up with countless ways to bring that elusive (happy) into the daily schedule.
Talk walks
Cook
Paint
Take pictures
Create create create
Take time for yourself
Talk to friends
Watch funny movies
Share your feelings
Connect with loved ones
Parks are perfect places to distress
Warm baths
Connect
It was wonderful to see our Councillor Mike laughing and joking with the HYDAC crew, he was accepted as one of the team and by the end they asked him when he would return as he made them happy.” - Judith Elaine