Clare Ansberry writes about making and keeping friends for The Wall Street Journal:

  • People can generally maintain three to five close friendships.
  • We need between 40 and 60 hours together for an acquaintance to become a casual friend.
  • To move from casual friends to close friends, you need to spend an additional 140 to 160 hours together for a total of about 200 hours.
  • However, deeper interactions can accelerate that timeline. You can form a close bond in less than 200 hours with meaningful conversations and a willingness to be vulnerable.
  • Sharing things about yourself can lead to close friendships.
  • It’s important to maintain close friendships, especially in person.