Many Millennials seem to be at a relational crossroads: As their peers get married, have children and settle down, friendships become less of a priority.
Not so for one man, though, whose clever approach to maintaining friendships has earned him praise on TikTok. A video Daniel Bennett (@dxnielbennett) posted went viral for explaining the weekly dinner party he attends with friends. No matter who can make it, the invitation every Wednesday always stands, he told Newsweek. Since it was posted, the video has received over 150,000 likes and over 500 comments.
"As you get older is becomes harder to see your friends, so we hold a standing Wednesday dinner party," he captioned the video. "Those who can make it attend."
Bennett, 28, said that his friend, Caitlin, hosts the party every week in a location that is central for everyone.
"I think the idea was inspired by the fact that as you get older it becomes increasingly harder to see your friends, so with having something once a week and in the middle of the week, it gives the whole group something to look forward to," he said.
Bennett credited Caitlin with doing the "majority of the hard work and labor" in hosting, but that the attendees fill in the gaps by bringing food: "Last week, I was in charge of ice cream," he said.
The group varies in attendance because of busy lives, but it's not all just marriage and babies. Many in the group travel a lot, making roundtable travel stories a common feature.
"That is the most memorable part of the dinner for sure," Bennett said.
@dxnielbennett Highly recommend doing this #dinner #dinnerparty #friends
♬ Scared To Start - Michael Marcagi
Viewers took to the comments to share their own experiences of regular dinner party hosting, saying that this method of keeping in touch doesn't have to be expensive or time-consuming.
"We do Mondays, but it's BYOD (bring your own dinner) standing appointment—has been happening almost three years," @macymaine wrote.
Yet, despite such examples, many commenters pointed to their inability to do something like this for themselves, if not for lack of money, then for lack of friends.
Millennials are one of the 'loneliest' generations
A 2019 study from YouGov found that Millennials report feeling lonely more than their peers in Gen X and the Baby Boomer generation.
Thirty percent of Millennials said they "always" or "often" feel lonely. Sizable portions of the sample reported that they didn't have acquaintances (25 percent), friends (22 percent), close friends (27 percent) or best friends (30 percent).
While the study did not delve into potential reasons for the Millennials' loneliness, it referenced other research that points to social media as a potential culprit. A study from the University of Pennsylvania, for example, found that using less social media than usual leads to decreases in depression and loneliness. Gen Z—another social media-savvy generation—has also made news with findings of poor mental health and loneliness.
Bennett and his friends seem to be combatting the statistical narrative with their in-person ritual, though. Whether it's one or five of them, they can always count on Caitlin's house for a Wednesday night catch-up.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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