Anna Goldfarb

I compiled a list of 50 modern friendship etiquette rules on my Substack, Friendship Explained. My hope is that people will find these guidelines sensible, flexible, and actionable. Anything you’d like to add? Tell me here or in the comments.

Married people: if your best friend invited you on a 5-day trip, would you need to consult your spouse before answering?

Very fun interview with @annagoldfarb.com, with a special appearance by you-know-who annagoldfarb.substack.com/p/pop-up-pod...

DEAL ALERT! My book MODERN FRIENDSHIP is only $14.57 on Amazon. This is the lowest price I've seen on the hardcover. Snap it up!!! www.amazon.com/Modern-Frien...

DEAL ALERT! My book MODERN FRIENDSHIP is only $14.57 on Amazon. This is the lowest price I've seen on the hardcover. Snap it up!!! www.amazon.com/Modern-Frien...

The specific joy of finding a friend who doesn't judge you for your extremely specific food orders ("no mayo, extra pickles, tomatoes on the side, slightly toasted, with a whisper of Dijon mustard")

Help @julieebeck.bsky.social find stories for her book on friendship! This could be youuuuu.

This Valentines Day get her what she really wants: revenge

"Take responsibility for your social life. Communicating with a friend briefly is a gift you give your future self." My newsletter today explains why low-maintenance friendships are the Vitamin Water of connection, aka A SCAM. annagoldfarb.substack.com/p/low-mainte...

Men are trash at texting one other, according to @theatlantic.com. I can help. Here are my 4 Golden Rules of Texting: #1. Be explicit about why you’re reaching out #2. Remove uncertainty #3. Explain what silences mean #4. Group chats are for sharing news that can be recognized with a few words

I humbly offer you 24 pants-optional friendship tips

I'm obsessed with this recent article by Matthew Schnipper in @theatlantic.com. Men are crappy at communicating and they tell us why –– in their own words. www.theatlantic.com/family/archi...

Many men are bad at texting other men back—and it might be making them lonelier, @matthewschnipper.bsky.social writes:

Is this emoji combo cool? 😎👍 I feel like it's so deeply uncool it might come around and be cool again, but I'm on the fence!

Some pants-optional friendship tips from my latest newsletter: * Propose being accountability buddies on something. * Resist using friends solely as entertainment. Run errands together. *you might need pants for this tip*

The most downloaded Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship ep in 2024 was “the 14-day friendship (mindset) cleanse,” brainchild of @annagoldfarb.com whose book, Modern Friendship, is a must read for anyone looking to improve their friendships. ninabadzin.com/2024/12/26/t...

Another banger from @allieevolpe.bsky.social!

Attn people who overthink everything: I’m on today’s episode of Magical Overthinkers with Amanda Montell. We talked about why our friendships feel so funky — and what we can do to make them more awesome podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/o...

Two swirled forkfuls of pasta

I wish there was a way to let people know that I'm 1000% okay with them canceling plans for any reason at any time

As a Jew who wasn't allowed to celebrate ANYTHING Christmas-related growing up, I'm very proud of this five-hour Funky Christmas playlist I put together: open.spotify.com/playlist/6dd...

One of my most listened to episodes of 2024: “The 14 Day Friendship Cleanse” with @annagoldfarb.bsky.social, author of Modern Friendship. ninabadzin.com/2024/06/04/1...

I wrote about the psychology of gift giving for @theatlantic.bsky.social a while back and it's especially useful as we descend into the holiday giving season. Enjoy the gift link (no pun intended lol) www.theatlantic.com/culture/arch...

Signal boost! Get in touch with Julie if this sounds like you.

Two minutes into doing an interview about friendship for a UK publication, Iggy jumped on my desk, knocked over two framed photos, and unplugged my computer. Now he's curled up in, what I call, the pudding cup of the cat tree.

Might I be entering my Miss Cleo era? I'm thinking of setting up a friendship hotline where people get my advice on their friendship troubles. I'd charge a small fee based on how long we talk. Good idea or no?

You’ve got to hand it to Sublime. “What I Got” contains more distinct pronunciations of the word “riot” (2) than basically any other song I know.

popped up from book leave for a moment to write about the election, American individualism, impulses toward self-care, and how we need each other www.theatlantic.com/family/archi...

The three best words to say to a friend in distress are: "I get it." Don't quibble. Don't play devil's advocate. Just be present. And let them know you care.

My new cat Iggy (on the left) cuddled on my lap for the first time last night. Eleanor (right) wasn't a fan of this arrangement. Two minutes later she voted with her feet. *bonus footage of me playing Dave the Diver on my Switch

There's a misconception that politics are driving friendships apart. It's not differing politics that doom friendships, generally speaking. It's harsh reactions that drive friends apart. I wrote about it in my newsletter, Friendship Explained. annagoldfarb.substack.com/p/political-...

hey hey! I'm a journalist who just wrote a book called MODERN FRIENDSHIP where I investigate why friendships are SO MUCH HARDER to maintain these days and what to do about it. I have a free excerpt on my website so you can see if it's for you. annagoldfarb.com