UNC Study Shows Sharp Drop in American Time Spent With Friends

A study from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill reports that Americans are spending drastically less time with friends on weekend evenings compared to two decades ago. The research, cited in a recent article by Anthony Blair in The New York Post, tracks social habits from 2022 to 2024. The data shows a steady decline in face-to-face interaction during traditional social hours.

The share of Friday evening time spent with friends peaked at just 4% in the most recent period. This figure is down from 9% in 2003 to 2005 and 7% in 2017 to 2019. The study notes that these Friday numbers now barely exceed the time Americans spend with friends on Thursdays. This shift suggests that the start of the weekend is no longer the primary time for social gathering.

Saturday evening socialization has also declined. The share of time spent with friends on Saturday evenings peaked at 7% in the recent study period. This is a drop from 12% in the 2003 to 2005 baseline. The findings indicate that the entire weekend has become less social than it was in the early 2000s.

Late-night socializing has become rare according to the same data. Less than 1% of Americans' time after midnight is now spent with friends. This statistic suggests that the tradition of staying out late is fading. Many people are choosing to spend time with friends during the day rather than after dark.

Anthony Blair, the author of the New York Post piece, questions whether the decline is real or if people have simply shifted their schedules. He suggests that individuals may be gathering at more practical hours during the day. Blair also notes that the data may not reflect every community. He cites Rockaway, a beach community in Queens, as an example where social life remains active despite national trends.

The study provides a quantitative look at changing social norms in the United States. It highlights a move away from evening and late-night gatherings. The data covers a seven-year span leading up to 2024. The findings offer a baseline for understanding how modern work and family structures affect leisure time. The research is part of a wider examination of declining socialization trends among young people.