Professor Justin Vaughn of Coastal Carolina University has launched a seminar aimed at addressing loneliness among young people and helping students form lasting friendships. He says students now often sit silently on their phones rather than speaking to classmates, highlighting how weakened everyday social interaction may be contributing to isolation.

Vaughn argues that friendships are built through repeated, ordinary encounters, such as brief conversations or sharing meals, which gradually create trust and shared history. Research cited in the article found that 54 per cent of Americans felt isolated, while only 65 per cent of university students socialised face-to-face with friends for more than six hours weekly; smartphones, social media, financial pressures and career competition were identified as contributing factors.