Technology has really made life easier; it is much easier to communicate and make friends online. The use of social media has really made it easier for us to connect with people both near and far. If I must tell you the truth, I have more online friends than physical friends. The reason why is that most times everyone is engaged with one thing or the other, and we hardly have time to see each other. But with online and various social media platforms it quite easier to connect with friends. Distance is not a barrier , you can speak, chat or do video call with friends daily.
I remember the first time I heard about Hive, it was through a classmate of mine during my undergraduate days. He only me inform about the platform nothing more. I tried reaching out to him but he kept on giving me excuses that he was busy. Short after then, I met someone online who later became my friend. He was there for me all through. We became so close that we talk about life, career, finances and more. Whenever I need someone to talk or share my burden with , he has really been there for me. Our friendship has grown more and more. Even though I have never seen him physically before but we've been friends for almost six years.
The truth about online friendship is that it's always easy to interact and express oneself freely without any form of shyness or timidity. I prefer online friendship compare to physical friendship because it's not limited by distance or time.
There was a time in my life that I have plenty friends whom we see each other almost everyday but things changed after few years, we all became more busy with life some relocated and we hardly talk for months, from months it became years and gradually our friendship wear out. The reason it wear out easily was because we never built our friendship by communicating with one another through online mean. The friendship was solely physical friendship and when we all get busy with life and relocated it was quite difficult for us to relate with each other through online platforms because we are not use to that right from the beginning.
Irrespective of the numerous benefits of online friendship, it also has its disadvantages, Many people have been deceived and scam through online friends. Some have been lured to death through people who claim to be friends without knowing that they have a negative motive. Physical friendship has it's disadvantages similar to online friendship but the truth is that this negative act is more common amidst online friends, that's why there should be a balance and one have to be sensitive when relating with unknown people online so that one who not fall victim all in the name of friendship.
Irrespective of this, I still prefer online friendship because I'm not the outgoing type. The friend have now are majorly online friends and they've indeed replaced my physical friends. If I'm opportune to meet my online friends physically I believe nothing will change the state of our friendship, it will always remain the same. Based on experience, I will always choose online friends over physical friends.