In the online newsletter Healthy to 100: The Science of Social Connections, Susan asks an important question: How do we make friends as adults? Ken, the author of the column, offers simple but powerful advice: “Keep showing up.”

Research from the University of Kansas backs him up, suggesting it takes about 50 hours to form a casual friendship, 90 hours for a genuine friend, and 200 hours for a close one. New connections require time, shared experiences, and consistency.

At Prime Time for Women, we design our programs around this truth. Our offerings are ongoing, repeat weekly or monthly, and encourage commitment through small but meaningful personal investment.

Take our Connections Over Competition Women’s Golf League. Members receive a generous discount but commit to paying for the entire season (10 rounds) upfront. As my mother used to say, when you have “a little skin in the game,” follow-through naturally increases.

The same philosophy guides our PTFW Book Club. There’s no designated leader; instead, each month a different member chooses the location, emails the details, and facilitates the discussion. No one wants to let the group down—an example of healthy interdependence (even if it sometimes feels a bit like friendly peer pressure!).

And then there’s our Walking to Wellness group, which has gathered every Wednesday for an amazing 184 consecutive weeks. What began as a handful of strangers seeking exercise has blossomed into a circle of friends who walk, talk, travel, and support one another through life’s ups and downs.

Bottom line: PTFW creates environments where connection grows naturally—not by trying to change people, but by designing programs that keep them coming back.