Lily was 26 when she realised every one of her close friends was in a serious relationship. “They were all at a different stage of life to me,” she recalls, two years later. “Even though I never felt like a third wheel, I wanted to branch out and meet new people.” To do this, Lily did what many people her age do when they want something: she went online. “I downloaded Bumble BFF. It took me a while to click with someone, but eventually I met Ria – we had similar interests, approaches to relationships, and mental health journeys. She was also single, which made a difference. Now, she’s one of my closest friends.”
Rewind five years or so, and a story like Lily’s would sound shocking. Bizarre, even. Sure, we’d adapted to meeting romantic partners online, although even that carried a social stigma. But friends? Aren’t you supposed to find them in real life? And shouldn’t you have enough already?
