This is how long it takes to make a new friend

Have you ever wondered how long it took for you and your friend to become friends? If so, a recent study appears to have uncovered the answer: 90 hours. That's 90 hours of quality time spent chatting, joking, laughing... (Simply 'working together' doesn't count).

The research, carried out by Jeffrey Hall, associate communications professor at the University of Kansas, looked into how long new acquaintances had spent getting acquainted, and how their relationships had developed the more they saw each other.

A study in two parts, the first questioned 355 adults who had recently relocated and made new friends, on how many hours they'd spent with their new pals, and about the shared activities they'd undertaken.

The study then asked participants to categorise each of the friends into one of four categories: acquaintance, casual friend, friend and close friend.

He used this information to work out how long it takes people to move those they meet up their personal scale of friendship.

In the second part of the study, Dr. Hall questioned 112 freshers from the University of Kansas on the number of hours they had spent with two new friends, three times, over nine weeks.

Combining the results of both studies, Dr. Hall concluded it takes 50 hours for people to view those they meet as 'casual friends', and up to 90 hours before they're important enough to be considered a 'friend'.

For a really good pal, however, the research revealed 200 hours of quality time was needed for a person to earn themselves the coveted title of 'close friend'.

“When people transition between stages, they’ll double or triple the amount of time they spend with that other person in three weeks’ time,” Dr. Hall explained.

“We have to put that time in,” he said. “You can’t snap your fingers and make a friend. Maintaining close relationships is the most important work we do in our lives - most people on their deathbeds agree.”

So if you're looking to make a new acquaintance a friend, the solution, it seems, is simple: make sure you put the time in. 90 whole hours of it.