Wednesday 12th March marked a full year since university acquaintances, Emily Stevens and Jake Reynolds, first exchanged the fateful message: “Let’s definitely meet up soon!” Despite both expressing apparent enthusiasm at the time, the two remain locked in an unspoken agreement to never actually follow through.
The original message, sent shortly after an awkward run-in outside the library, was met with mutual excitement, excessive exclamation points, and a vague suggestion of “grabbing coffee.” Since then, neither party has taken the next crucial step of actually making plans, instead opting for occasional, half-hearted follow-ups every few months.
“Emily and I were super close in first year, so of course I meant it when I said we should meet up,” said Jake. “But, like, we both have busy schedules. She’s doing her dissertation, I’m… well, I don’t really know what I’m doing, but I feel very overwhelmed most of the time, so that counts.”
“I honestly meant it at the time,” said Emily. “But, you know, life just gets in the way. Every time I think about messaging Jake, I remember I haven’t responded to my grandma’s text from last month, and suddenly, it just feels like too much responsibility.”
Over the past 12 months, both students have diligently maintained the illusion of an impending reunion, crafting increasingly elaborate excuses for not picking a date. Their last exchange in January included the phrase, “We have to catch up after the holidays!!!” – neither specifying which holiday they were referring to.
Friends close to the pair confirm that neither Emily nor Jake have actively avoided the meet-up; they’ve simply prioritized other things, such as rewatching White Lotus, complaining about deadlines they haven’t started, and scrolling through their phones for five hours straight.
“It’s just one of those things, you know?” said Jake, who has, at this point, memorized Emily’s Instagram stories but hasn’t seen her in person since 2023. “Like how I always tell myself I’ll start running, or that I’ll delete Twitter. Some things are just destined to remain theoretical.”
Experts say the Stevens-Reynolds case is far from unique, with research suggesting that over 90% of “Let’s meet up soon” messages in group chats, casual run-ins, and post-drunk-night-out DMs never materialize into real-world interactions.
“It’s a psychological phenomenon known as ‘Social Procrastination,’” explained Dr. Lydia Haines, an expert in human interaction. “By continuously agreeing that a meet-up is necessary but never actually setting a date, both parties feel socially responsible while also avoiding the inconvenience of real-life commitment.”
As the one-year mark approached, both Emily and Jake expressed mild guilt but remained hopeful about a future meeting.
“Look, I know it’s been a year, but it’s still technically soon in the grand scheme of things,” said Emily, who, when pressed, admitted that she lives a 10-minute walk from Jake.
Despite the growing tension, neither party is willing to be the first to suggest a concrete plan, fearing it may disrupt the delicate equilibrium of their relationship.
At the time of print, Jake has reportedly composed a message reading, “Let’s do next week???” but remains to send it, knowing full well that Emily’s inevitable reply of: “Yes! Let me check my schedule!!!” will only extend the cycle further.
Meanwhile, experts predict that by 2026, Emily and Jake will have escalated to the next level of social avoidance: enthusiastically discussing how they “have to plan a trip together” without ever picking a destination.
