Today is National Girlfriend Day.
While many assume the day is in celebration of romantic relationships with a femme identifying individual, it’s actually meant as a celebration of the female friends who uplift and support you. Our culture tends to value romantic love above platonic love, and as you get older, it becomes harder and harder to see your friends because work, commitments, and significant others become factors in everyday life. Unless you have a commitment in common like an activity or your job, finding time for one another becomes a logistical puzzle. But instead of valuing your friends as a secondary loved one, you should work every day to maintain those special relationships. It’s worth it. You deserve friends who ground you, challenge you, and offer a different perspective than the biases of romantic partners and family. Here are some ideas to get you started on a 30-day plan to revitalize your relationships with your closest girl friends!
Get Your Nails Done Together
Finding time to pamper yourself can be hard, so why not find time to fit it in while seeing a friend? It’s a great way to sit back and relax while catching up with your friend. Make it a special occasion and ball out on something a little extra, whether that’s a 10-minute massage or hot stones with your pedicures. Maybe even choose treatments for each other as a surprise to show a little more love.
Roleplay with Drinks
Yeah, you could take your friend out to dinner or go to the movies, but those typical date options aren’t that interesting. Head to a quiet little speakeasy or a big bumping bar and act like you’re meeting for the first time. Roleplaying doesn’t need to be sexual, and pretending you’re meeting for the first time as friends can be a fun reminder of why your friendship is so special. Take the opportunity to buy each other a drink the other would never order to spice things up. Take risks and enjoy the night of getting to know your friend in an entirely new light.
Picnic at the Park
Take the time to relax in the sun with your friend. Pack a feast, including wine and cheese, and maybe a few books of poetry or short stories to read to each other. It’s a simple way to spend an afternoon, but it doesn’t have the time constraints of a restaurant meal and doesn’t cost as much either.
Stay in for a Night
When you don’t have the energy to go out and dress up, plan a lazy night in. Do face masks and give each other massages, play some fun music, or watch a dumb Netflix rom-com starring Noah Centineo. Then, enjoy brunch the next morning while well-rested instead of hungover!
At the end of the day, maintaining friendships is about making the conscious effort to show you care and that you want to be involved in your friend’s life. Make time for the friends you value, and consequently prepare to see a big improvement in your quality of life.
