In this week's episode of Off The Data Provided, Dr. Marcus C. Shepard revisits Kat Vellos’s book "We Should Get Together: The Secret to Cultivating Better Friendships" and explores why making and keeping friendships in adulthood is so hard right now.

Dr. Shepard highlights the loneliness epidemic (quoting the former U.S. Surgeon General about its health impact) and how smartphones, social media, busyness, and life changes make us “alone together. The episode breaks down the book’s core “seeds of connection”: proximity (being nearby), frequency (repeated contact), comparability (compatibility/harmony), and commitment (showing up). He also mentions the common finding that it typically takes around 200 hours to turn an acquaintance into a close friend.

Vellos’s practical approaches, which include a Friendship Incubator idea and a hypothesis that ten consecutive days of quality time can rapidly deepen a bond are discussed as a way to accelerate closeness. In addition to Vellos's idea, actionable tips in the episode include moving online connections offline, using local places (libraries, gyms, classes) to meet people, creating routines like weekly TV nights or pizza Fridays, guarding against perpetual busyness, and setting boundaries around phone use to be more present.

Dr. Shepard also covers warning signs and relationship dynamics to watch for: unequal effort in friendships (the “fat friend” pattern), the rise of amienships (people you follow but don’t invest in), and the need to call out or exit one-sided relationships.

This episode is a clear, practical overview for anyone struggling to build adult friendships and recommends Kat Vellos’s book as a helpful resource to cultivate more meaningful, lasting connections.