I have been inviting friends to my home ever since I started living alone three years ago. I love hosting them and making them feel comfortable in my home.
In today’s world, people heavily rely on social platforms. Instant messaging is convenient, but it can be difficult to tell if we’re truly connecting with others. Are we talking to real people, or just chatbots? Additionally, social platforms often present a filtered version of people’s lives. How about their true selves We probably can never know.
While there is no denying that social platforms are convenient, these can never replace face-to-face interactions. That’s why I love hosting friends at my home. By spending time together, we can truly get to know each other and build meaningful relationships.
When friends visited my tiny studio flat for the first time, many feel awkward about sitting on my daybed. I tell them to sit, but some of them still feel awkward until I further break the ice.
So what’s the ice-breaking activity? Playing party games with Nintendo Switch. After playing games like Mario Party, Mario Kart, Super Chicken Horse, etc., my friends are warmed up and relaxed. All the awkward feelings of sitting on someone’s bed were then swept away.
During the visit, I offer my friends a drink menu with all the coffee and tea options I know. One of my friends worried that I might feel exhausted making drinks. On the contrary, it’s my favourite moment – I enjoy brewing coffee while watching my friends enjoying themselves.
Some of my guests aren’t couples but just a group of people sharing the same interests. They seldom meet and do something other than those we typically do. My home is a place for them to build friendships. Furthermore, serving a group of people with drinks challenges my barista skill.
Challenge accepted: Making 5 milk-based drinks in a row
As the night goes on, it’s the time to learn to listen and build empathy through real conversation. At home, my friends and I can express our thoughts privately without being heard by strangers.
I treasure the time I spend hosting my friends. It reminds me that as a social animal, connecting with others face-to-face is essential even if we are living in an era overwhelmed by social platforms.