Casual friendship takes place when two people meet and begin getting to know each other. They spend time doing things together in groups and learning about each other's personality and character. Harris emphasized that the casual friendship stage of a relationship is very important. Mrs. Kopp said she would like to see Multnomah students getting to know each other in the safe environment of group activities. She said small groups of four to six are ideal for building friendships.
Deeper friendship is the next stage of principled romance.
Harris said that a couple should pursue a deeper friendship before becoming romantically involved. This step is frequently skipped in dating relationships. During this stage, a couple should seek to get to know each other on a more personal level, Harris said. He suggests that couples try to include each other in their real lives. Instead of getting to know each other in romantic settings, a couple should engage in activities together that reveal true character.