Social Fitness Explained: Why Experts Say Connection Is Becoming Just as Important as Exercise
The best nights out with a partner or friends aren’t always dinner and drinks. Local, low-key alternatives, like open mics, improv shows, trivia, karaoke and craft classes, are hiding in plain sight in most cities, and they tend to be cheaper, more memorable and more connecting than another round at the neighborhood spot.
There’s also a growing case that swapping the usual routine for something novel is genuinely good for you. Research links close friendships and shared new experiences to better mental health, stronger relationships and even longer life. If your standard nights out have started to blur together, here’s what to know about the alternatives worth trying.
Why trying something new matters for relationships and health
People with close friends are more satisfied with life and less likely to suffer from depression, according to the American Journal of Psychiatry. They’re also less likely to die from all causes, including heart problems and chronic diseases, per PLOS Medicine. Beyond simple companionship, researchers have found that doing new and exciting things together actually improves how partners feel about each other.
A 2000 study in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that couples who took part in “novel” and “arousing” activities reported improved relationship quality and increased passion. The couples ranged from two months to 15 years together, and the enhancement showed up after a task as short as seven minutes. An earlier 1993 study in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships tracked more than 50 married couples through 10 weeks of “exciting” or “pleasant” weekly activities and reached similar conclusions.
“Not exercising your social fitness is hazardous to your health,” Robert Waldinger, a professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, told Outside.
“When you lose emotional and social fitness, you lose everything,” Emily Anhalt, a clinical psychologist and co-founder of Coa, a gym for mental health, told Outside. “Everything in life is going to feel better if you feel connected to other people to get through the tough things and enjoy the good things.”
Psychologists argue platonic social connection should be actively promoted, in schools, workplaces, public spaces and through entertainment.
“After having to reduce social contact during the pandemic, we’ve realized how it impacts basically every sector of society. That suggests that each of these sectors can potentially play a role in solutions,” Julianne Holt-Lunstad, professor of psychology and neuroscience at Brigham Young University, told the American Psychological Association.
“What we know is that if we don’t interact regularly, things go really bad remarkably fast,” Holt-Lunstad added. “But what is the magic in these interactions that’s keeping us healthy and sane? More and more researchers are saying there’s this huge part of human behavior we know very little about. Let’s change that.”
The craft and creative-night trend backing this up
The shift away from bar-only social lives is showing up in the data. According to Eventbrite’s 2025 report, craft workshop events soared in 2024, with crochet events up 44% and jewelry-making up 34%. General interest in collage, crafting and pottery is also rising.
Tayler Carraway, co-founder of the New York City art café Happy Medium, told Vogue that “Socialization culture, particularly for adults outside of school, has become really centered around eating and drinking. I think we’ve been successful because we’ve provided another option for people to do something with their friends outside their house.”
Comedy, trivia and karaoke nights worth trying
Some of the easiest alternative nights out are already running weekly at venues near you. Open mic nights, hosted in bars, coffee shops and community spaces, are low-pressure and genuinely entertaining, since no two nights are the same. Improv shows are unpredictable and reliably funny, and taking an improv class is even better because it forces a kind of vulnerability and connection that’s hard to replicate at a restaurant table.
Local stand-up comedy nights are often cheaper and more intimate than big touring acts, and shared laughter tends to bond people fast. Trivia nights, which most pubs run on a weekly rotation, are competitive and collaborative, a great excuse to argue about random facts with a partner or a group. Karaoke, whether at a public bar or in one of the private rooms available in most cities, is commitment-free silliness and one of the easiest ways to shake off a long week.
Hands-on nights out, pottery, jewelry making and paint and sip
If you’d rather leave with something to show for the evening, hands-on classes are the fastest-growing category of alternative nights out. Jewelry-making classes let you work with silver, brass, copper and gold using specialized equipment. Some workshops span multiple sessions, a good recurring ritual with a friend or partner, while others wrap in as little as three hours, and you leave with a finished piece like a handmade silver ring.
Pottery classes let you either throw pieces together or paint pre-made ones, and either version is hands-on connection. Art cafés like Happy Medium build entire programs around arts and crafts, giving adults a social space to develop new skills or revisit old creative pursuits. And paint and sip classes remain a popular pick, big with friend groups but equally fun with a partner, and they’re widely available through local listings.
The common thread is novelty, presence and a shared experience you’ll actually remember. Which is more than most Friday nights at the usual spot can promise.
This article was created by content specialists using various tools, including AI.
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