By Jared Tobaison
In a world centered around technology and social media, relationships are being formed more via phone apps like Snapchat or Instagram, and less in person. While many have shifted from meeting people at those traditional hangouts out in public, not all have.
Evan Krummel, 21, of Grand Rapids, has a friend group that they’ve been hanging out with since 10th grade. Being an introvert, they don’t go out to and hang out with their friends in the city often, but what they do instead is partake in a weekly tradition.
“We have a friend who sets up a weekly tradition called game morning,” Krummel said. “Every Sunday morning we do board games and breakfast. It’s a really good way for us to stay connected.”
Krummel’s friend group is able to stay connected just by finding a little bit of time to be together once a week. Which sometimes, is all they need.
Though on the off chance they do go out into the city, their friend group enjoys ice skating at Rosa Parks Circle.
With it being winter in Michigan, it gets very cold out and some people don’t want to spend their days or evenings outside in the Grand Rapids area. People would rather be inside whether it’s in the comfort of their homes where they chill and text or call their friends, or they’ll go out to do something indoors where it’s nice and warm.
V Heath, 20, of Grand Rapids, enjoys going out with his friends but not much by himself. When he is with his friends they usually do “boy stuff, like hangout in the mall, and just horse around.”
Simple things like going to the mall with friends is a good way to be social, meet people and connect with other people.
With people communicating more via social media and text, Heath prefers in-person conversations, explaining, “I feel better talking to them in person rather than text, cause there’s no emotion when you’re texting and you can’t read them.” Heath said.
When it comes to socializing and the ability to just meet new people and have conversations with them, there’s a difference between introverts and extroverts. Introverts tend to stay with their groups and not put themselves out there, while extroverts have almost no problem being out in public making friends and socializing with random people.
Cody Andersiak, 19, of Kentwood, usually goes out a few times a week with friends. Usually, he is playing Pokemon Go or playing on random playgrounds in Grand Rapids. He’s an extrovert and it showed when he mentioned that he “quite often” talked to people and made friends when he is out in Grand Rapids.
Andersiak had a couple of suggestions of places to go to just be in a social environment either by yourself or with a group. “For group things we normally do Peppino’s,” he said.“If you’re looking for a good solo spot for breakfast I recommend Brooklyn Bodega, they’re pretty good.”
With technology becoming more ingrained in students’ everyday lives, some people need to push themselves to explore Grand Rapids and experience fun places where they can meet new people, like the mall or just walk around downtown Grand Rapids playing Pokemon Go. There are also plenty of coffee shops around the city like The Bitter End or Midnight Express Cafe that have great atmospheres and provide opportunities to meet new people and just get out and be social.
