How to Revive the Art of Hanging Out
Modern life makes it harder to seek out places to just be, but it’s not impossible.
This is an edition of The Wonder Reader, a newsletter in which our editors recommend a set of stories to spark your curiosity and fill you with delight. Sign up here to get it every Saturday morning.
As the weather gets nicer, many of us feel the allure of just hanging out. We want to sit outside with friends and have a drink, go on long morning walks and catch up, enjoy the breezy night air. But where to go, and with whom? Modern life has become filled with “establishments that are either too expensive for the average American or apparently designed to disincentivize lingering,” Allie Conti wrote in 2022. “Think carefully curated faux dive bars that serve $15 beer-and-shot specials, or parks like New York’s High Line that are built to be moved through in a linear fashion.”
Conti makes the case for finding a “third place”—a no-frills spot for conversation and meeting new people that doesn’t require spending a lot of money. If you find it but don’t have anyone to go with, don’t be afraid to step in alone. Conti did, and was thrilled to stumble upon the perfect hangout, almost like it had been waiting for her.
On Hanging Out
Do Yourself a Favor and Go Find a ‘Third Place’
By Allie Conti
We need physical spaces for serendipitous, productivity-free conversation. (From 2022)
What Adults Forget About Friendship
By Rhaina Cohen
Just catching up can feel stale. Playing and wasting time together like kids do is how you make memories. (From 2023)
The Six Forces That Fuel Friendship
By Julie Beck
I’ve spent more than three years interviewing friends for “The Friendship Files.” Here’s what I’ve learned. (From 2022)
Still Curious?
- The anti-social century: Americans are now spending more time alone than ever. It’s changing our personalities, our politics, and even our relationship to reality, Derek Thompson wrote last year.
- Five books about going out that are worth staying in for: Read these books when the dance floor beckons but the bones refuse, Andrew Holter writes.
Other Diversions
PS
I recently asked readers to share a photo of something that sparks their sense of awe in the world. Debi R. from Sorrento, Florida, sent this image of a sunset at Siesta Key, Florida. “While I was taking pictures of the sunset, a flock of pelicans happened to fly by, whirling about and enjoying the cooling evening. A trio of seagulls is on the sand, reminding me of sentinels.”
I’ll continue to feature your responses in the coming weeks.
— Isabel
