If you go through a day with a group of people and you do multiple activities, you will most likely learn more about that group of people than you would if you sat down for coffee with them.
I’ve had many conversations with friends before talking about how we got to know each other best, not when we sat down and had a conversation with them, but by doing different kinds of activities with them. Someone you may only play sports with, you only know them in one context, thus this stunts your growth in the relationship. However, add in a board game night and some mutual friend’s weddings, and all of a sudden, you know this person twice as well as all of your other sports friends.
You not only see them in a different setting, and the quirks that come out that didn’t before, but you also now have more common activities to be able to talk about. You have more shared memories of varying types so that you’re not stuck always talking about the same thing.
What’s interesting is that you also see the skill levels of people. Someone who isn’t the best at the sports may be a complete wizard at drawing and drawing games. You have a new appreciation for the people because you see the skills that they are better at.
People are multi-dimensional. We should start trying to get to know them as such.