Long before the days of Myspace, if you even remember it, and Facebook, social media was a bit slower. In fact, it was as slow as a snail – snail mail, to be exact. Yes, I’m old enough to have regularly sent physical letters to my pen pals versus just emailing, texting, or posting on social media. Luckily, there are virtual pen pal communities to help you make new friends online.
Content
- Why Bother With Virtual Pen Pals?
- Pen Pals Meet the Virtual World
- Best Online Pen Pal Communities
- Get More From Pen Pals
Why Bother With Virtual Pen Pals?
I get it. Why bother with something that seems so outdated? Remember, vinyl records were considered ancient and obsolete in the ’90s and ’00s. Now, people are happily buying them again.
When I was in 10th grade, my journalism class paired all of us up with a pen pal in another country. Part of the project was to help the foreign students practice their English (all those students were in English as a second language classes), and the other part was to help American students better understand other cultures.
I eagerly wrote my letter to this unknown person. All I had was a name, a short bio, and a few interests. But soon, my Japanese pen pal wasn’t just a name, she was a new friend with similar interests to me. We remain friends over 20 years later and still write to each other multiple times a year.
Actual letters from my pen pal in Japan
For me, it’s a more personal way to connect with someone. And yes, it’s fine to talk to them online, too. But, there’s something special about holding the correspondence in your hand, carefully thinking about how to reply, and physically writing a response.
Pen Pals Meet the Virtual World
You don’t need to return to high school to experience the thrill of sending and receiving letters with a new pen pal. And you don’t have to scour social media hoping to make new friends.
Many communities and services exist to help connect you with pen pals all over the world. Some only allow snail mail (especially at first), while others offer text and video chatting. Believe me when I say it’s surprisingly fun and interesting to connect with people on a global scale.
Image source:
Unsplash
At first, these sites may feel more like dating sites, but it’s just for friendship. Some of these communities even create their own sub-communities, kind of like Reddit, to talk about shared interests. But instead of an endless stream of negativity, political arguments, and irrelevant ads, you just to get to meet people and form lasting friendships.
Best Online Pen Pal Communities
Making new friends is hard, especially if you’ve just moved to a new city. I’ve personally used a few of these sites and have several close friends as a result. Whether you want to make a few new friends, you’re just curious about pen pals, or you want to learn more about the world firsthand from others, try these communities.
Geek Girl Pen Pals
Geek Girl Pen Pals is all about embracing everything geeky and wonderful about yourself. Despite the name, it’s for all genders, though you’re able to choose which gender you’re matched with.
Just like Harry Potter, pen pals are sorted into “houses” based on age. Each house is named after a strong fictional female character, such as House Ripley after Ellen Ripley from the Alien franchise. Each month, up to 1,000 people are paired up, so make your request early in the month to make sure you get in.
PenPal World
Despite the somewhat outdated site design, PenPal World does a great job of helping you meet new friends. Plus, I absolutely love their staff. They’re amazing at catching spammers and fake accounts before they cause trouble. It’s also one of the few communities available to minors. Anyone under 18 can block all adults from contacting them.
Simply set a bio, and connect. Free members can send and receive messages to/from up to three members a day. For approximately $3/month, that limit jumps to 50 members per day.
Global Penfriends
Global Penfriends is my favorite site. It has a large community, and I love that you’re encouraged to use the internal messaging system before sending any snail mail. I’ve had the best experiences here as well. Plus, the site does a great job of answering common questions to help you understand the difference between pen pal sites and social media.
All ages are welcome to join. For minors, parents should definitely check out the pen pals before any personal details are exchanged.
Worldwide Snail Mail Pen Pals
Worldwide Snail Mail Pen Pals is a Facebook group that helps connect pen pals who want to communicate via actual letters. I haven’t used it personally, but it’s a highly active community, and members seem genuinely happy.
Get More From Pen Pals
Image source:
Unsplash
I highly suggest doing the following to get the most from this experience:
- Be ready to share more than just status updates. Real conversations and learning more about each other is what makes being pen pals such a wonderful experience.
- Don’t share anything too personal, especially any financial details. If anyone asks questions you’re not comfortable with, cut contact.
- Be honest. Don’t try to be someone you’re not.
- Ask questions and learn from each other. For instance, you could learn a new hobby, language, or the best local spots near your pen pal.
- Have fun.
If you want to do more with your new pen pal, try these online board game sites or watch movies and shows together.
Image: Pexels
Subscribe to our newsletter!
Our latest tutorials delivered straight to your inbox
Sign up for all newsletters.
By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and European users agree to the data transfer policy. We will not share your data and you can unsubscribe at any time. Subscribe
Crystal Crowder –
Staff Writer
Crystal Crowder has spent over 15 years working in the tech industry, first as an IT technician and then as a writer. She works to help teach others how to get the most from their devices, systems, and apps. She stays on top of the latest trends and is always finding solutions to common tech problems.
Leave a comment