Here’s Why the Average American Hasn’t Made New Friends in Five Years

I'm a mom, and when I see my kids making new friends on the playground in a matter of minutes, I’m always amazed at their ease of finding a new bestie. If you find it hard to make new best-friends-forever or even just a few pals to go out for dinner with, you aren’t alone. A new study says the average American hasn’t made a new friend in five years.

According to the study, 45 percent of adults say they find it difficult to make new friends and, for many of the 2,000 people polled, they felt their popularity peaked at age 23.

The study, conducted by OnePoll in conjunction with Evite, found that for many participants, shyness or being an introvert was the main cause for their lack of new friendships. Some cited hesitation because of the belief that potential new friends already have their set, core group, and others admitted to feeling nervous about trying to join in a preexisting circle.

Participants further listed family commitments as a restraint that takes up possible friend-making time, as well as not having any hobbies that allow them to meet new people. However, with social media keeping us connected, it seems as though meeting new people and staying in touch should be easier than ever — even with busy schedules.

So, how many friends do adults actually have? The number might surprise you. The average American has 16 pals. However, the breakdown of how these friends function in our lives is quite different. Of the 16, three are friends for life, five are people they really like and would hang out with one-on-one and eight are people they like but don’t necessarily seek out.

For many, their best friends are the ones made when they were younger. Nearly half of those surveyed have stayed friends with their high school besties, and 31 percent still consider their college friends their closest ones.

To keep those friendships going, you need to make time for them. If you are looking to expand your friendship circle or just want to have a few friends over to reconnect, here’s some inspiration for throwing the perfect last-minute get-together.