Brown Student Advocates for Intergenerational Friendships

Talia Berkwits '29 shares how her friendship with a 41-year-old has provided valuable perspective beyond the "undergraduate bubble".

Mar. 18, 2026 at 5:24am

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Talia Berkwits, a Brown University student, writes about the importance of building intergenerational friendships, using her own relationship with a 41-year-old friend as an example. She argues that such friendships can provide valuable perspective and prevent the insularity that can come from being surrounded by peers of the same age on a college campus.

Why it matters

Intergenerational friendships can help young people escape the "homogeneity of their peers" and the "adolescent egocentrism" that can develop when surrounded by only those of the same age. These relationships provide a different viewpoint, remove the pressure of social comparison, and promote self-worth and confidence.

The details

Berkwits met her 41-year-old friend Beth at their neighborhood synagogue 10 years ago, and their friendship deepened during the COVID-19 pandemic when they started taking daily walks together. Berkwits argues that before college, people naturally interact with individuals of varying ages, but this shifts dramatically on a college campus where students are "surrounded by their contemporaries" every day. She believes this can lead to a "stunted sense of purpose" and a lack of "intellectual curiosity" among young people.

  • Berkwits plans to visit Beth during her spring break next week.
  • Berkwits and Beth have been friends for 10 years.

The players

Talia Berkwits

A student at Brown University who advocates for building intergenerational friendships.

Beth

Berkwits' 41-year-old friend whom she met at their neighborhood synagogue 10 years ago.

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What they’re saying

“While my friendship with Beth might seem atypical, its intergenerational quality has pulled me out of my shell and challenged me to escape the homogeneity of my peers.”

— Talia Berkwits

The takeaway

Intergenerational friendships can provide young people with valuable perspective, remove the pressure of social comparison, and promote self-worth and confidence. Berkwits encourages her fellow Brown students to seek out these relationships, whether with professors, university staff, or older members of the Providence community.