Why Friendship is Important in Academic Settings

Everyone you meet knows something you don’t know but need to know. Learn from them.

― C.G. Jung

Think back to all the movies and stories where everything is resolved through the power of friendship. It’s a theme we see so often that it has become a cliché. But clichés usually stem from consistent outcomes. In this case, it’s that friendship really does carry power, especially in the classroom.

Academic settings are often thought to be purely intellectual spaces, focused solely on facts, figures, grades and test scores. But research into peer friendships shows us that friendships can play an important role in student success. These studies have shown that peer friendships can significantly improve students’ comprehension and retention of course material. When students feel comfortable enough to ask each other questions, they learn in more relatable, memorable ways. They can reframe complex concepts in simpler terms, share study strategies, and learn through conversation rather than just lectures. These conversations can help students to both recall and retrieve information, while also attaching meaning to the information, promoting deeper learning and understanding.

These relationships also promote collaboration, encouraging students to share their knowledge, while boosting their motivation by making academic challenges feel more communal. When students work together, they become more engaged. The classroom starts to feel less like a series of isolated tasks and more like a shared experience.

Perhaps most importantly, friendships can act as a buffer against stress, offering emotional support in an environment where academic achievement can add extra pressure and competition that goes beyond the classroom. Having trusted peers to lean on for support, to vent to after a tough class, or even just to laugh with during a break, can make a huge difference in mental wellbeing.

So, what does this mean for teachers? Are teachers now responsible for creating friendships among their students on top of teaching the curriculum? Not exactly…but when they recognise the transformative role of friendship, they can foster positive change in the classroom. Teachers don’t need to build the friendships among the students, but they can create environments where they’re more likely to thrive, particularly through group work, classroom culture, and emotional awareness. After all, learning isn’t just about information, it’s also about connection.

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