My friendships were slowly turning into transactional instances of scheduling morning coffees, similar to the corporate world. It feels like I’m not growing alongside them as a person, and every time we catch up, I’m supposed to bring something new to the table

“I’ve had to speak to people with really clear intention and interest in pursuing a relationship to find people who I know who I could depend on consistently, and create an inner circle that felt less surface level.”

our now-adult schedules get in the way of that level of spontaneity and togetherness. After entering the workforce, it can feel like everyone you care about is living their lives alongside their co-workers and partners, and then working hard to find a time to simply keep you in the loop. This trap is what people are calling “catch-up culture”.

My friendships were slowly turning into transactional instances of scheduling morning coffees, similar to the corporate world. It feels like I’m not growing alongside them as a person, and every time we catch up, I’m supposed to bring something new to the table

Fighting against catch-up culture isn’t easy because it involves challenging every element of what’s considered “productive” adulthood, where work, personal development and romantic relationships often take priority, while “unproductive” hours lounging around with friends fall by the wayside. It also may involve confronting our addiction to... See more