Natalie Pennington
@natpen.bsky.social
Assistant Professor of Communication Studies | Friendship | Technology | Mixed Methods
I love my partner, pets, and cooking and baking, especially if it’s from Serious Eats or Smitten Kitchen!
I love my partner, pets, and cooking and baking, especially if it’s from Serious Eats or Smitten Kitchen!
Yesterday I caved and bought a ticket for a flight for $608. Today I looked and it dropped to $300. Quickly took advantage of the 24 hour cancel and rebooked. Feel like I made $308 dollars and there is no way today can improve. 🤣✈️💸
August 19, 2025 at 3:34 PM
Yesterday I caved and bought a ticket for a flight for $608. Today I looked and it dropped to $300. Quickly took advantage of the 24 hour cancel and rebooked. Feel like I made $308 dollars and there is no way today can improve. 🤣✈️💸
Sometimes I feel that even if you order something (well in advance) and want it for a trip that it will of course update delivery for the day after you leave. #SummerTravel #FriendTrip
a cartoon character named charlie brown is standing next to a mailbox
ALT: a cartoon character named charlie brown is standing next to a mailbox
media.tenor.com
July 22, 2025 at 2:18 PM
Sometimes I feel that even if you order something (well in advance) and want it for a trip that it will of course update delivery for the day after you leave. #SummerTravel #FriendTrip
Reposted by Natalie Pennington
🤳New pub: Can you be a happy single? Maybe-depending on your approach to friendships. Check out my paper with Amanda Holmstrom, @natpen.bsky.social, and Jeff A. Hall, using data from the American Friendship Project. #mentalhealth #wellbeing #relationship onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
What Friendship Characteristics Are Associated With Well‐Being Among Unpartnered Individuals in the United States?
This paper replicates and extends prior work that demonstrated the general importance of friendships for maintaining well-being, with a focus on unpartnered/single individuals. Using data from two qu...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
June 16, 2025 at 10:09 PM
🤳New pub: Can you be a happy single? Maybe-depending on your approach to friendships. Check out my paper with Amanda Holmstrom, @natpen.bsky.social, and Jeff A. Hall, using data from the American Friendship Project. #mentalhealth #wellbeing #relationship onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Love seeing this new work out from Jess Dominguez and Brooke Wolfe, that draws from the AFP datasets to explore the experience of friendship for Queer folks. Check it out online first: www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
What Difference Does a Queer Friend Make? Exploring Familial-Related Benefits Across Friendship Types
Queer people are routinely advised to build a community with people of their same identity for social connection, support, and solidarity. This community often serves as a familial network and some...
www.tandfonline.com
June 11, 2025 at 10:05 PM
Love seeing this new work out from Jess Dominguez and Brooke Wolfe, that draws from the AFP datasets to explore the experience of friendship for Queer folks. Check it out online first: www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
It’s the end of semester where I am waiting for the final set of papers and exams to grade still, so enjoying the chance to bake with a little free time. Today I made cinnamon rolls for the first time, and it was fun and easier than I thought it would be, and my house smells amazing. 🎉
May 11, 2025 at 8:22 PM
It’s the end of semester where I am waiting for the final set of papers and exams to grade still, so enjoying the chance to bake with a little free time. Today I made cinnamon rolls for the first time, and it was fun and easier than I thought it would be, and my house smells amazing. 🎉
Reposted by Natalie Pennington
Do you call your partner your best friend? This study says you’re in the minority
Do you call your partner your best friend? This study says you’re in the minority
A large study suggests that most people separate romantic and platonic bonds. While some do see their partner as a best friend, the emotional benefits of doing so vary by age, income, and relationship type.
www.psypost.org
May 11, 2025 at 4:21 PM
Do you call your partner your best friend? This study says you’re in the minority
Really loved getting to work with some great friends developing this paper, which reflects on when someone may be more likely to call their romantic partner their bestie, and how that may relate to well-being, check it out online first with JSPR: journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1...
What’s in a label? Exploring the intersection of relationships with best friends and romantic partners with well-being - Natalie Pennington, Brooke H. Wolfe, Jeffrey A. Hall, Amanda J. Holmstrom, Sama...
While romantic relationships are often perceived as a significant milestone, there is increasing evidence of the value of friends within one’s network. The pres...
journals.sagepub.com
April 22, 2025 at 11:40 PM
Really loved getting to work with some great friends developing this paper, which reflects on when someone may be more likely to call their romantic partner their bestie, and how that may relate to well-being, check it out online first with JSPR: journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1...
Love conferencing, love coming home to my little family even more. Joe picked me up with both pups in tow and banh mi. True love!
April 5, 2025 at 10:59 PM
Love conferencing, love coming home to my little family even more. Joe picked me up with both pups in tow and banh mi. True love!
This little guy has started to cling to my chair in my home office for attention and it is extra and I love him.
March 27, 2025 at 3:28 PM
This little guy has started to cling to my chair in my home office for attention and it is extra and I love him.
Ugh, they fought so hard. Really proud of the game, and the effort from everyone. Lots of young players, hopefully they make another run next year! #GoRams
March 24, 2025 at 1:17 AM
Ugh, they fought so hard. Really proud of the game, and the effort from everyone. Lots of young players, hopefully they make another run next year! #GoRams
LET’S GO RAMS! A twelve always beats a five, I was excited to see this match up. Great plays. On to the second round! 🎉🙌🏻
March 21, 2025 at 8:13 PM
LET’S GO RAMS! A twelve always beats a five, I was excited to see this match up. Great plays. On to the second round! 🎉🙌🏻
Finding my joy in basketball: LET’S GO RAMS! Time to dance 🎉
March 16, 2025 at 12:17 AM
Finding my joy in basketball: LET’S GO RAMS! Time to dance 🎉
Every spring I do a virtual guest visit about friendship and doing research in my sister’s second grade class, and it is so delightful and refreshing every time! A little happiness boost that was much needed.
March 6, 2025 at 7:05 PM
Every spring I do a virtual guest visit about friendship and doing research in my sister’s second grade class, and it is so delightful and refreshing every time! A little happiness boost that was much needed.
Reach out and connect with the people you care about! Enjoyed chatting with Rainseford at TIME magazine about why voice notes might hit a sweet spot for connection: time.com/7216297/voic...
Why Voice Notes Are a Small Act of Love
"It’s a small act of love, I think, to want to talk to someone—however you choose to do it," writes Rainesford Stauffer.
time.com
February 11, 2025 at 3:28 PM
Reach out and connect with the people you care about! Enjoyed chatting with Rainseford at TIME magazine about why voice notes might hit a sweet spot for connection: time.com/7216297/voic...
One of the small things bringing me joy is this delightful “doissant” (donut croissant) from a local spot. The February special is strawberries and cream and it might be their best one yet!
February 8, 2025 at 7:49 PM
One of the small things bringing me joy is this delightful “doissant” (donut croissant) from a local spot. The February special is strawberries and cream and it might be their best one yet!
Reposted by Natalie Pennington
Also just out here trying to enjoy cheap avocados while I still can. 🫠
February 7, 2025 at 4:13 PM
Also just out here trying to enjoy cheap avocados while I still can. 🫠
I really love teaching methods, and yesterday I pulled up a table from an article and said “no really, it’s not scary, it’s fascinating!” And watch as students had their a-ha moments, it was delightful and the kind of salve to my soul I needed. Sending good vibes out to all of you for those moments.
February 7, 2025 at 3:16 PM
I really love teaching methods, and yesterday I pulled up a table from an article and said “no really, it’s not scary, it’s fascinating!” And watch as students had their a-ha moments, it was delightful and the kind of salve to my soul I needed. Sending good vibes out to all of you for those moments.
Waking up to the Mavs-Lakers trade news and I just don’t get it. I already hated the trade for Thompson in the offseason, but now letting go of Luka, Kleiber, and Morris? I don’t have the faith in AD that others do.
February 2, 2025 at 2:49 PM
Waking up to the Mavs-Lakers trade news and I just don’t get it. I already hated the trade for Thompson in the offseason, but now letting go of Luka, Kleiber, and Morris? I don’t have the faith in AD that others do.
Also listen, that groundhog better not see its shadow tomorrow. 😵💫
a man in a suit says it 's gonna be cold
Alt: a man in a suit says it 's gonna be cold
media.tenor.com
February 1, 2025 at 4:28 PM
Also listen, that groundhog better not see its shadow tomorrow. 😵💫
Winter break feels like it was years ago, not just a couple weeks. The fatigue of this semester (and January) is real, and I know even more difficult for other folks. Sending all the good February vibes and thoughts. Be kind when you can, to yourself and others.
February 1, 2025 at 4:16 PM
Winter break feels like it was years ago, not just a couple weeks. The fatigue of this semester (and January) is real, and I know even more difficult for other folks. Sending all the good February vibes and thoughts. Be kind when you can, to yourself and others.
Reposted by Natalie Pennington
Quick reminder that if you see a headline from a source you’ve never heard of that isn’t being reported by anyone else, you really should do some due diligence before spreading it around as fact. There’s enough misinformation floating around already; no need to add more.
February 1, 2025 at 2:04 PM
Quick reminder that if you see a headline from a source you’ve never heard of that isn’t being reported by anyone else, you really should do some due diligence before spreading it around as fact. There’s enough misinformation floating around already; no need to add more.