Difficulties making friends as an adult

25s vs 35s: the different friendship outlook

Are Singaporeans a judgy, guarded bunch?

Red flags in friendships

Have you lost the ability to make friends?

Unlike our school days where it was easier to find a buddy, making new friends as an adult isn’t something that we leave to chance.

Synopsis: The Usual Place host Natasha Ann Zachariah hunts for new perspectives on issues that matter to young people.

When you hit your adulting years, it is inevitable that someone will ask you “Have you found a partner?”. Interestingly enough, you rarely get asked if you have made new friends.

The struggle to make new friends when you are older is real. Many don’t realise - or only learn when they drift apart from their childhood friends - is that friendships, like other relationships, take effort to thrive.

In this episode of The Usual Place, host Natasha Ann Zachariah explores the complexities of forming - and keeping - friendships in adulthood. 

Joining her are Grace Ann Chua, 30, CEO and co-founder of Friendzone SG, and Jarel Low, 34, the co-founder of Offline Singapore, two individuals dedicated to creating events for meaningful connections.

From how to step out of your comfort zone to red flags in friendships, the trio discuss the upside - and challenges - to meeting new people. 

Highlights (click/tap above):

2:15 Why is it difficult to make friends as an adult?

9:20 The 25s vs the 35s: the different friendship outlook

14:03 Are Singaporeans a judgy, guarded bunch?

22:20 Red flags in friendships

34:05 What if you have lost the ability to make friends?

Host: Natasha Zachariah (natashaz@sph.com.sg)

Follow Natasha on her IG account and DM her your thoughts on this topic: https://str.sg/8Wav

Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

Read Natasha's articles: https://str.sg/iSXm

Filmed by: ST Video

Edited by ST Podcast producers: Teo Tong Kai & Eden Soh

Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong

Follow The Usual Place Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

YouTube: https://str.sg/wEr7u

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

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Follow more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

ST Podcast website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa

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Get The Straits Times' app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:

The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB

Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX

#tup #tuptr

Unlike our school days where it was easier to find a buddy, making new friends as an adult isn’t something that we leave to chance.
Synopsis: The Usual Place host Natasha Ann Zachariah hunts for new perspectives on issues that matter to young people. When you hit your adulting years, it is inevitable that someone will ask you “Have you found a partner?”. Interestingly enough, you rarely get asked if you have made new friends. The struggle to make new friends when you are older is real. Many don’t realise - or only learn when they drift apart from their childhood friends - is that friendships, like other relationships, take effort to thrive. In this episode of The Usual Place, host Natasha Ann Zachariah explores the complexities of forming - and keeping - friendships in adulthood. Joining her are Grace Ann Chua, 30, CEO and co-founder of Friendzone SG, and Jarel Low, 34, the co-founder of Offline Singapore, two individuals dedicated to creating events for meaningful connections. From how to step out of your comfort zone to red flags in friendships, the trio discuss the upside - and challenges - to meeting new people. Highlights (click/tap above):
2:15 Why is it difficult to make friends as an adult?
9:20 The 25s vs the 35s: the different friendship outlook
14:03 Are Singaporeans a judgy, guarded bunch?
22:20 Red flags in friendships
34:05 What if you have lost the ability to make friends?
Host: Natasha Zachariah (<a href="mailto:natashaz@sph.com.sg">natashaz@sph.com.sg</a>)
Follow Natasha on her IG account and DM her your thoughts on this topic: <a href="https://str.sg/8Wav">https://str.sg/8Wav</a>
Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: <a href="https://str.sg/v6DN">https://str.sg/v6DN</a> Read Natasha's articles: <a href="https://str.sg/iSXm">https://str.sg/iSXm</a>
Filmed by: ST Video
Edited by ST Podcast producers: Teo Tong Kai &amp; Eden Soh
Executive producers: Ernest Luis &amp; Lynda Hong
Follow The Usual Place Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops:
Channel: <a href="https://str.sg/5nfm" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/5nfm&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726912254033000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3iptWDheZTbc6UWH19K9Ik">https://str.sg/5nfm</a>
Apple Podcasts: <a href="https://str.sg/9ijX" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/9ijX&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726912254033000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1FaPmmc8vEyCxKmRadKVZo">https://str.sg/9ijX</a>
Spotify: <a href="https://str.sg/cd2P" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/cd2P&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726912254033000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2w3xb6c1ejhhdXDpghQkBE">https://str.sg/cd2P</a>
YouTube: <a href="https://str.sg/wEr7u" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/wEr7u&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726912254033000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3mQ12S80ZFi9MtpS0oP5Kz">https://str.sg/wEr7u</a>
Feedback to: <a href="mailto:podcast@sph.com.sg">podcast@sph.com.sg</a>
---
Follow more ST podcast channels:
All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: <a href="https://str.sg/wvz7" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/wvz7&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726912254033000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2LPvTdnzHsUwHU7VHQNXR8">https://str.sg/wvz7</a>
ST Podcast website: <a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://str.sg/stpodcasts&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726912254033000&amp;usg=AOvVaw11bVm3kZchw4h57yIYmPUV">http://str.sg/stpodcasts</a>
ST Podcasts YouTube: <a href="https://str.sg/4Vwsa" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/4Vwsa&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726912254033000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3m8aAMNJ7I1x71LUJyga7_">https://str.sg/4Vwsa</a>
---
Get The Straits Times' app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:
The App Store: <a href="https://str.sg/icyB" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/icyB&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726912254033000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2Z9ol0eeLYDBOp1ky8QJVI">https://str.sg/icyB</a>
Google Play: <a href="https://str.sg/icyX" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/icyX&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726912254033000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1t-PEBbVM8Grjm7dumueld">https://str.sg/icyX</a>
#tup #tuptr

Synopsis:The Usual Place host Natasha Ann Zachariah hunts for new perspectives on issues that matter to young people.

Podcaster: Natasha Ann Zachariah

Produced and edited by: Teo Tong Kai & Eden Soh

Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong

A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media.

Synopsis: The Usual Place host Natasha Ann Zachariah hunts for new perspectives on issues that matter to young people.
Podcaster: Natasha Ann Zachariah
Produced and edited by: Teo Tong Kai &amp; Eden Soh
Executive producers: Ernest Luis &amp; Lynda Hong
A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media.

The Usual Place

Synopsis:The Usual Place host Natasha Ann Zachariah hunts for new perspectives on issues that matter to young people.

Podcaster: Natasha Ann Zachariah

Produced and edited by: Teo Tong Kai & Eden Soh

Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong

A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media

Synopsis: The Usual Place host Natasha Ann Zachariah hunts for new perspectives on issues that matter to young people.
Podcaster: Natasha Ann Zachariah
Produced and edited by: Teo Tong Kai &amp; Eden Soh
Executive producers: Ernest Luis &amp; Lynda Hong
A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media

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