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Friendship

Concerned about a mate's behaviour towards their partner? Here's how to handle it

It's "critically important" men look out for their friends and their friends' partners when it comes to domestic and family violence, experts say.
Two men chatting and holding beers while sitting on deck chairs in the grass in front of a field.

'Not now, not ever': Readers share their feelings about unannounced guests

It was once a common way of staying in touch, but after we explored the etiquette of an unannounced visit, opinions were divided. This is what you had to say.
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Young couple welcoming guests at an apartment doorway, with smiles and arms outstretched.

'We're here!': The golden rules of dropping in to someone's house

Dropping in used to be a common way of staying in touch, but is it still OK to do it? An etiquette expert says unexpected visitors can be a horrifying thought for many.
A smiling woman with dark hair in a bun wearing a grey hoodie holding a mug in the front doorway.

Penelope wanted a social outlet that didn’t involve organised sport. She decided to start her own club

The First Timers Club is dedicated to helping participants overcome the fear of trying new things and meeting new people that can come with adulthood. 
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A young woman with dark curly bangs smiling in front of a colourful spray painted wall in an outdoor dining area.

How a simple offer to chat if she needed helped Chloe disclose violence in the home

Disclosing abuse can be incredibly difficult. Victim-survivors fear they won't be believed and have a lot of shame around the violence they are experiencing. But there are ways we can help those in our lives feel safer to share.
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two women sit on a couch chatting

perspective:Advice on how to meet like-minded people and forge friendships after moving to a regional town

Making meaningful connections and forming friendships after relocating to a regional area can seem like a daunting task. Here are some tips to make the process less intimidating from people who have done it.  
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Six people stand in front of a fence with a wide river in the background.

perspective:My days working at a cafe are filled with joyful and sometimes heartbreaking moments

When I opened a cafe with my sister, I never imagined that my daily interactions with strangers would be the most joyful part.
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two women work behind the coffee machine of a busy inner city cafe in Melbourne

It's normal for friends to drift apart — but it's never too late to reconnect

With Australia in the grip of a loneliness epidemic, many of us are keen to revive old friendships, but unsure where to start. Two experts share their tips on how to start the process of reconnecting with friends.
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Two female friends stand with their arms around each other, looking across a field

perspective:I'm not alone in the face of impending loss. It's comforting to know I won't be alone when it's time to grieve

For those of us who don't have a belief system, who do we turn to when confronted with unimaginable loss? If the internet has replaced community, do I turn to TikTok? 
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Oliva O'Flynn sits with her chin resting on her fist as she looks into the camera

'Stood out like yellow billboards': The friendships formed at Matildas games

Matildas fever has us chatting to strangers, so we asked three women about the connections they've made through the game.
Two women decked out in Matildas merch grin in a stadium.

perspective:I've never met some of my closest friends and it's likely I never will

In my early 30s, I acquired an energy-limiting disability and my world shrunk. My phone became my window to the world.
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Natalia Hodgins sits on a sofa in comfortable clothes, smiling at her laptop and she communicates with friends online.

perspective:My friend asked me to be her baby's godparent. I'm an atheist

When my friend asked me and my partner to be the godparents of her unborn child, I was quick to clarify I could only be the unholy kind. But what does that look like?
Kellie holds up a baby onesie that asks her to be a godparent

perspective:I'm autistic, and my rescue dog has taught me about true friendship

Human relationships have always felt like a losing battle for me, an unsolvable puzzle. I didn't truly know what friendship entailed until I met Ziggy.
Alex Creece and her black dog Ziggy with a colourful graphic treatment

perspective:'A safe place to banter and build relationships': Why I golf with my friends

Golf isn't just a sport, it's a safe place to banter and build relationships. Some days, you have a good game, other days terrible. And the same goes for your golf buddies. 
A blonde woman has her arm on the shoulder of another woman, both holding golf clubs. Cartoons of golf balls in the background

It's not easy making friends as a new mum. Three women tell us how they did it

Being a new mum can be isolating — and not everyone has a local parents' group they click with. We asked three parents who had success with three very different approaches.
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Flick and Sidra composite image with colour treatment

feel good:Bridey and Jiny became 'accidental influencers' for being such cute best friends

Known for their infectious laughter and playful banter, Bridey and Jiny's most popular TikTok is a candid clip of them bickering over dumplings – this is their friendship love story.
Bridey and Jiny laugh and hug, and a still from their viral dumpling video.;

perspective:Alfie and Al met getting gender-affirming surgery — now they're besties

Sharing late night TV recommendations, balloons and a support crew, Alfie and Al supported each other's gender-affirming surgery.
Two people smiling at camera. One wears a cap, the other has short blue hair

feel good:Struggling to make close friends as an adult? Here's how these women did it

Struggling to make friends in your twenties and thirties? Here's how these women did it.
Two young women grin, holding champagne glasses.

'A place with kinder rules': I didn't plan to join a choir, but I'm so glad I did

After I joined a choir, I formed budding connections with people I'd otherwise walk past along the creek, offering a polite head nod at best.
Illustration of men and women singing as a choir, a man leads in the front holding sheet music.

'I screwed up big time': What I learned from ruining my friend's birthday

Several years ago, I recorded a video for my childhood friend's 30th. It was supposed to be a light-hearted roasting, but it did not go down well.
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Illustration of a woman looking embarrassed in front of a screen in a room of people

I normally feel isolated at weddings as a single person. Not this time

Being single at a wedding can normally feel isolating. But this year, I'm trying to reframe how I feel about them and celebrate love around me.
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Illustration of person at a wedding with the couple in the background.

How comedians Brendan and Jenna became besties and business partners overnight

Comedians Jenna Suffern and Brendan Hancock met at an "awful" open mic — and became best friends overnight.
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On stage, Jenna grins into the microphone in a pink cowgirl get-up, while Brendan takes his shirt off.

'Wildly depressing': Why Anna left her Facebook support group

When Anna Vincent began caring for her mum, who has early onset dementia, she wanted to hear from those with lived experience. But it wasn't always helpful.
Anna Vincent takes a selfie in a cold climate

Red herrings and room for improvisation: How we hosted the perfect murder-mystery party

With a little direction and encouragement, people will jump at the opportunity to play pretend, and it turns out there is plenty of meaning to be found in meaningless fun at a dinner party.
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The cast of the movie The Glass Onion assembled together looking confused, in a moment from the movie.

Looking back on my 2022 resolutions, this is what stuck — and what didn't

Looking back over last year's resolutions, there were some that were more helpful than others — these are the goals I'm carrying forward into 2023.
Rachel Rasker, who was wavy brown hair, smiles with a notebook with handwritten '2022 goals' in it.