Not sure how to get the ~funny questions~ going, per se? “When we want to pose a silly question, it can be best to just state outright what you’re going to do,” Degges-White suggests. In short, asking your friends funny questions is how you demonstrate interest in their lives and lived experiences, Deggs-White explains. “Friendship grows in its intimacy and deepens in connection through self-disclosure and the sharing of the ‘bits and pieces’ of what makes us who we are,” adds Suzanne Degges-White, PhD, a professor of counseling and higher education at Northern Illinois University and co-author of Friends Forever: How Girls and Women Forge Lasting Relationships.

So while asking those silly questions might appear insignificant on the surface, they ultimately reveal information about your friend. 'The question and its answer is a starting point for a conversation journey that maybe you wouldn’t be having with that friend,' says Akbari.

No matter the answer, you now have the opportunity to ask more questions, simultaneously uncovering the layers as to who your friend truly is inside.

“The value is not so much in the question itself, but in the conversation that the question sparks,” says Anna Akbari, PhD, a sociologist and former professor in the department of media, culture, and communication at New York University. Imagine what hidden gems you might learn about your friends after they confess their guilty pleasures, or show off their best dance moves. But the fun, silly questions you ask your friends can also be important-not just for strengthening your bond, but for your overall happiness. You might think the only way to get to know someone-like, really know them-is by having a one-on-one convo full of deeply personal questions.

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