Summer is a great time to spend more time with friends and even make new ones. Without school, homework, and busy schedules, you have more freedom to hang out and do fun things together. You could go to the beach, have a picnic in the park, or just sit outside on a warm evening talking and laughing. The long days and warm weather make it easier to enjoy each other’s company and grow closer as friends.
5 Steps To Create Lasting Friendships
You don’t need big or expensive plans to have fun. Some of the best memories come from small, everyday moments—riding bikes around the neighborhood, trying new food, getting ice cream, or watching a movie together. These adventures are super memorable and help your friendships grow stronger. Over time, these moments turn into special memories you’ll look back on and smile about.
The YouTube video “5 Easy Steps to Actually Create Friendships That Last” shows how to make good friends by first thinking about what kind of friend you want and finding people like that. Then, start talking with them in a friendly and fun way. When you feel a connection, spend time together and help each other out. Eventually, all of that hanging out will help to build a close friendship. To keep friends for a long time, make regular plans, check in with each other, and be there to support one another, even when life gets busy or changes.
To keep friendships strong, try to stay in touch and make plans often. Be the one to text or call first, and invite friends to join you for an activity. Don’t be afraid to include new people too—you never know who might become a great friend. Summer goes by quickly, but if you make the effort now, the friendships you build can last long after the season ends.
The Mayo Clinic article "Friendships: Enrich your life and improve your health" highlights how strong friendships positively impact mental and physical health by boosting happiness, reducing stress, and helping people cope with challenges. It also warns that social isolation can increase risks of depression and other health problems. The article acknowledges that busy adult lives can make maintaining friendships difficult but encourages building connections through activities like clubs, volunteering, and community events to enhance overall well-being.
Featuring...
Waze To Adulthood
"Do You Have It?" is a practical checklist designed by the Parent Educational Advocacy Training Center (PEATC) to help individuals with disabilities—and their families—organize essential documents and information needed for independent living. It is intended to promote independence and preparedness, particularly for young people transitioning to adult responsibilities but it can be helpful to anyone as a document preparation checklist. Available in both English and Spanish.
Find it here in English: https://peatc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Do-You-Have-It-1.pdf
En Espanol: https://peatc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Do-You-Have-It-SPA.pdf
The SPAN Youth Chat
On August 6th, from 4:15 to 5:00 PM, join with the SPAN Youth Engagement Team and Kate Turpen (they/them), Youth Self Advocacy Project Director from Disability Rights Maine, as they share a presentation about how who you are changes how you see and feel about the world. We will talk about how being a person with a disability connects with other parts of you like your age, skin color, or gender to make your life experience unique. These parts of you can make some things easier (privileges) and some things harder (challenges)!
Resources...
Link to SPAN's website: www.spanadvocacy.org
Link to SPAN's Youth in the Know Resource Page: Youth in the Know
We're here for you! Call SPAN if you need assistance: 1-800-654-7726.
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