Has anyone else stopped doing friendship groups and preferred one-to-one friends?

[IslaWhitey]

Has anyone else given up on groups / friendship groups and just focusing on one-on-one friendships with individuals?
I’m mid-40s and just figured out I much prefer one to ones.

I've always preferred one to one.

I do too.

I have friends from different places, and other than school friend that moved abroad who visits them all school friends meet up, I just see friends 1 to 1.

Yes, groups are too much work. Much prefer one on one.

My biggest ‘group’ is 4! I prefer one to ones or small groups but as a teen/young adult I loved being in a big friendship group.

Sort of yes. I was 'the organiser' in my big group of friends and after covid I just don't have the time or patience any more (combination of turning 40/perimenopause/starting my own business and being too busy). So I just stopped and now I see the people from that group who kept in touch but on a one to one basis. Every now and then I see the others at things other people have organised but probably once a year max! We are still friends but not as close at all but I'm fine with that to be honest. I have made new close friends through my business.

I’m not great in groups bigger than 4 and prefer smaller

God yes, absolutely. Most of my friendships are one-to-one, or two or three people at most. I find the dynamics of big friendship groups quite hard work because there are often tensions beneath the surface - not surprising given the more people you bring together, the more likely it is that you'll get clashes of personalities, with people tolerating one another for the sake of the group. Personally I much prefer spending low key time with people whose company I genuinely love.

Definitely. I was in a group and they turned really bitchy, years older than me as well ! Luckily one of them is now my best friend

I haven’t been involved in group friendships since I was at primary school …

So when adult posters talk about doing things with ‘the girls’ I honestly struggle to grasp how it works.

I do have friends! I see them one to one, as often as I like. Very occasionally I might invite more than one to an event - so some of them have met before, but they’re all definitely separate entities. And I wouldn’t want that to change.

Group events have generally been family oriented.

I’m part of a few WhatsApp groups but they’re all work related.