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By Maria Morava
Relationships Reporter
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They say it's harder to make friends as you get older—but not many talk about how hard it is to keep them, too.
One man is addressing this with a unique method of keeping in touch. Zachary Perez, 40, spoke to Newsweek about his viral TikTok video explaining the "Wednesday Waffle": a weekly video life update sent to a select group of friends in order to keep each other informed. Since it was posted, the video has received over 1.8 million views and 200,000 likes.
"The most valuable things I've learned in my forty years—the 'Wednesday Waffle,'" Perez captioned the video, explaining his idea and the impact it has had on his life, and his friends' lives, too.
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While the "waffle" in the phrase might confuse Americans, it's slang for Australians, who use it as a verb to mean blathering, or talking at length without a clear intention.
Perez said the idea was born out of the pandemic, originating as an "albums club"—a book club, but for music—on Zoom. When Perez and his three friends found it difficult to schedule a weekly time that worked for everyone, they began to send each other short videos reviewing the album of the week instead.
"We eventually lost momentum on the music aspect of it, but wanted to still stay connected," Perez said. "So, it transformed into what we now know as 'The Wednesday Waffle'—these short one-to-two-minute videos updating one another on what we'd been up to, what we had coming up and just checking in on one another every Wednesday."
The group has been at it for over two years now, with no intention of stopping. The Wednesday Waffle has been the group's vehicle for major life changes, too.
"People have announced engagements, [partner's] pregnancies, the birth of a baby, buying houses and lots of other of life's big milestones in Wednesday Waffle videos. We've also shared personal hardships and struggles," he said.
Viewers on TikTok have taken to the method enthusiastically, praising Perez and emphasizing the rarity of adults—especially men—with "actively managed and meaningful friendships," @ihhpod wrote.
But there's even more meaning to be found in the method, Perez said. Some have told him of the Wednesday Waffle's life-changing potential.
"There have been hundreds of comments from people saying it has helped them reconnect and build deeper connections with friends and family that live in different parts of the world," he said. "But by far the most incredible feedback has been from commenters suggesting that the idea will save lives, and that their loved ones might still be here had they had something like this with their mates."
Perez said he looks forward to his friends' videos every week. The meaning he and others have found in the ritual is important in a world where many are still trying to make the best of the ability to digitally connect. The preservation of memories that the Wednesday Waffle enables is unique, commenters said.
"You never know when the last time you'll talk to someone," @thatgirlsarahr wrote. "And having a video to remember is priceless."
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