Want to foster strong relationships in the year ahead? A CSU friendship expert has some pointers

In The NoCo

Want to foster strong relationships in the year ahead? A CSU friendship expert has some pointers

By In The NoCo,

Published January 8, 2025 at 5:35 AM MST

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Natalie Pennington, an assistant professor of communication studies at Colorado State University, is pictured in front of a bookshelf wearing glasses and a dark colored shirt. — "When we prioritize connection and say that our friendships and relationships come first, it means we are being mindful of that," says CSU assistant professor of Communication Studies Natalie Pennington. She studies the dynamics of friendship and co-leads the American Friendship Project. "I tell people to think of it just like exercise; build the routine. The more comfortable you get spending time with people, the easier it becomes throughout the year."

The start of a new year often involves making changes in pursuit of a healthier life. For many of us, that means fewer processed foods, more veggies, and 鈥� maybe 鈥� a few more trips to the gym.

Or perhaps your resolution is to work on relationships 鈥� to make new friends or reconnect with existing ones. After all, friendships are a key part of our well-being. U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy says that harms mental health and even physical health.

But what鈥檚 the best way to make friends? How do you rekindle a relationship that鈥檚 gone quiet? And how do you nurture your current friendships?

For answers, we reached out to , assistant professor of communication studies at Colorado State University. She studies the importance of friendship in our lives, and co-leads the an ongoing study of the state of connectedness in the U.S.

She joined host Erin O鈥橳oole to share practical tips on how to build new friendships 鈥� or reconnect with friends we haven鈥檛 seen in a while.

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In The NoCo

KUNC's In The NoCo is a daily slice of stories, news, people and issues. It's a window to the communities along the Colorado Rocky Mountains. The show brings context and insight to the stories of the day, often elevating unheard voices in the process. And because life in Northern Colorado is a balance of work and play, we celebrate the lighter side of things here, too.

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Erin O'Toole

As the host of KUNC鈥檚 new program and podcast In the NoCo, I work closely with our producers and reporters to bring context and diverse perspectives to the important issues of the day. Northern Colorado is such a diverse and growing region, brimming with history, culture, music, education, civic engagement, and amazing outdoor recreation. I love finding the stories and voices that reflect what makes NoCo such an extraordinary place to live.

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Brad Turner

Brad Turner is an executive producer in KUNC's newsroom. He manages the podcast team that makes In The NoCo, which also airs weekdays in Morning Edition and All Things Considered. His work as a podcaster and journalist has appeared on NPR's Weekend Edition, NPR Music, the PBS 暗黑爆料hour, Colorado Public Radio, MTV Online, the Denver Post, Boulder's Daily Camera, and the Longmont Times-Call.

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Ariel Lavery

Ariel Lavery grew up in Louisville, Colorado and has returned to the Front Range after spending over 25 years moving around the country. She co-created the podcast Middle of Everywhere for WKMS, Murray State University鈥檚 NPR member station, and won Public Media Journalism awards in every season she produced for Middle of Everywhere. Her most recent series project is "The Burn Scar", published with The Modern West podcast. In it, she chronicles two years of her family鈥檚 financial and emotional struggle following the loss of her childhood home in the Marshall Fire.

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