Unlearning loneliness: How TikTok is rewriting the rules of connection [Video]

New York City is often portrayed as a city of tight-knit female friendships — see Sex and the City, Girls, and Broad City — but the reality of moving to a big city is lonely, especially in an era of remote work, increased screen time, and declining third spaces. 

In recent years, we’ve “learned loneliness,” “stopped hanging out,” and no longer have “fringe friends,” making moving to a new city particularly challenging.  

When Sarah Mcgonigle moved to the city last summer she barely knew anyone and worked a fully remote job, so she didn’t have the safety net of coworkers to help her acclimate. Mcgonigle, like so many others seeking connection, couldn’t rely on traditional third spaces — like a community center, park, the mall, or place of worship — in her neighborhood to foster community. 

As investment in third spaces dwindled, people have turned to the internet as a quasi-third space that many …