A brand that banks on fostering friendships
dubai — Long before we embraced the world of social media, we communicated with each other through letters. You needed a stamp and a piece of paper to befriend a stranger.
Of course, things are different now. Almost, every friendship, real or virtual, is just a click away.
Ever had a friend (or even a stranger) treat you to pizza or an ice cream because Facebook suggested they ‘tag a friend whose name begins with…’? Social media transforms even “hi and bye” friendships into a relationship for keeps with its ‘friendversaries’ concept.
Is it easier and more convenient to keep in touch because of social media? Perhaps. Virtual pokes, nudges or waves serve as the perfect icebreakers and the ideal ways to start a conversation online. Nothing says ‘Hi, how are you?’ or ‘Bye, it was nice chatting with you!’ better than an emoji anymore.
Friendships that began by exchanging notes under classroom desks (or as pen pals) went on to blossom online. A Dubai-based Young Times reader found a pen friend in a fellow Young Timer through the magazine’s popular Postscript section. “A girl in Pakistan, who was about six or seven years older than me, decided to drop me a line. Khadija went on to be the elder sister I’d never had. We’ve wished each other on New Year’s Eve, slipped in five-minute phone calls, and even wished each other on birthdays. All this… and we have only ever seen each other in photographs. We are still in touch, but through Facebook now,” she recalled.
The mutual love for reading, writing and all things creative resulted in another beautiful friendship between readers Sameer Ahmed Khan and Khadija Ali — more than a decade ago — through Young Times. And, that’s just how the Young Times community still exists, one friendship delightfully links up with another.
Friendships were not complicated. You could find a friend in an Otto Club member or a contributor whose article appeared along side yours. Friendships were easy and still continue to remain so. What may be slightly difficult is maintaining a friendship — enter social media.
Now, Young Times is back. With a strong social media presence, it’s here to help you maintain and strengthen those ‘frenz4eva’ type of friendships. With Facebook, you can reconnect with an old friend; on Instagram, you can keep up with the latest trends and indulge in a fun #ootd or #throwback regularly; and over on Twitter, you can create change by voicing an opinion.
All sorts of negative labels are also attributed to social media platforms. Not Young Times. At Young Times, social media doesn’t stand for trolls or offensive memes. It’s a creative community and an outlet for information. Most importantly, it stands for empowering youth.