March Challenge: The Hyperlocal Friendship
Plus: The friends you make in fan communities!
There are local friends (perhaps 20-45 minutes away) and there are “HYPERLOCAL” friends. Think—your block, your building, or around the corner.
This month in the Dear Nina community, we’re focusing on hyperlocal friendships—developing new ones and maintaining the ones you already have.
The March friendship challenge is introduced in a short solo episode (#135) of Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship. I discuss the significance of proximity in building connections, some personal anecdotes—including what I will be doing to check the box of this month’s challenge in my own life—and practical tips for engaging with friends in your neighborhood or at least nearby.
REMINDER: You can start the 2025 challenge any time. Each month is meant to stand alone and you don’t need an entire month to accomplish any of them. Find the January challenge here and February one here. Come back and let me know how it went no matter when you try that month’s “assignment.”
STAY IN TOUCH AND LET US KNOW HOW IT GOES by commenting here or in the Dear Nina Facebook group.
Episode #135: The Hyperlocal Friendship
FIND EPISODE #135 on Apple, Spotify, Youtube, and anywhere you listen to podcasts!
LINKS MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE:
Episode #127: January challenge–See a Friend in Person
Episode #131: February challenge–Start a Ritual with Friends
Fragile Neighborhoods by future Dear Nina guest, Seth D. Kaplan
Episode #134: The Potential for Friendship in a Fan Community!
Fandom, especially very enthusiastic fandom, can provide community, belonging, and friendship. In episode #134 of Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship, I’m joined by Vanderbilt professor, lawyer, author, and joy enthusiast, SC Perot, who shares her story of rediscovering joy after a devastating divorce, highlighting how her newfound interest in Harry Styles and the community surrounding his concerts provided a much-needed escape and a way to connect with people who wanted to discuss something other than divorce. A formerly-casual fan of Harry Styles, SC ended up attending 17 Harry Styles concerts in five countries!
SC and I discuss her memoir Styles of Joy: A Feel-Good Framework for Rediscovering Joy (with a Twist!), the importance of being open to new experiences, the power of shared interests in fostering new friendships, and the uncomplicated friendships in fan communities that comes from the deep love of a musician, team, book series, or anything where a fan community forms.
FIND EPISODE #134 on Apple, Spotify, Youtube, and anywhere you listen to podcasts!
Articles and Other Finds About Friendship
I see so many friendship-related things, either because I find them myself or listeners send them to me. I love hearing from listeners and readers!
“I hold low-key parties at my house monthly. It's helped people make new friends and I've strengthened existing friendships.” by
in Business Insider“What is Digital Minimalism?” by future Dear Nina guest,
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Books, Shows, Recipes I’m Into These Days
Reading: I’m listening to Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara. My 2025 reading list can be found here. I update it throughout the year. Past years are here.
TV: I’m keeping up with White Lotus. YES, I love the friend trio storyline. I devoured Paradise on Hulu.
Cooking: I made the tangy brisket from the original 2012 Smitten Kitchen Cookbook for the second Shabbat in a row. This is my kids’ favorite brisket. (I’m just about to turn off the slow cooker as I write this on Thursday night.) I will also serve the cauliflower/hummus dish from The Modern Proper cookbook that I’ve been making for months and nobody has complained yet. It’s SO GOOD.
Two anonymous friendship advice questions you might have missed
Let’s connect outside of this newsletter: You can find me most often in the Facebook group, Dear Nina: The Group. All the social media links are below. I know I need to get rid of some them!
Instagram | TikTok | YouTube | LinkedIn | Threads | Twitter | Bluesky | My Website
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my family loves the Smitten Kitchen brisket soooo much!