Humans are social animals and our friends are a very important part of our lives. They’re family we chose for ourselves and having a good set of friends greatly improves your quality of life. And that’s because a family can be complicated, but your friends will always have your back! However, developing new friendships can be tricky. Making new friends was no big deal when we were kids. After all, all you needed to do was sit next to someone during a new class or as a group of kids if you could play with them. However, as we grow older, our responsibilities grow and our social circles thin out.
But that doesn’t mean it is impossible to make friends after school or college! Plenty of people have met new friends at a later point in their lives, and their friendships are as solid as ever. You just need to change your strategy from how you made friends as a kid. Confused about how to do it? Don’t worry, we’ve listed some excellent tips on how to make new friends.
Tips To Make Friends
Whether you’ve moved to a new place and are looking to make new friends or just simply wanna expand your social circle—we’re here to help. Scroll ahead to learn some easy and effective tips on how to make friends!
Join A Hobby Class
This is the easiest and possibly the best way to meet new people. Why? Because you are combining your love for an activity with the opportunity to make new friends. So not only will you make exciting acquaintances with people, but you will also learn a new skill! What activity, you ask? Well, the world is your oyster! Think about the hobbies you enjoy or maybe something you always wanted to learn? This could include a painting class, a basketball group, a book club or even a group yoga or pilates class! Just pick what you love and go for it!
Get To Know Your Colleagues
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As we get older, we tend to stick to our already-established group of friends, and put in too much effort into getting to know the people we work with. But if you’re looking for new friends, your office is a great place to start! Think about it—you are already familiar with these people, so you know that they are not creepy strangers (sounds funny, but it is important). And you don’t have to stick to your own department to make friends! Strike up a conversation with someone in your office pantry or offer to take your team out for drinks. And who knows—you might end up developing close friendships with the people you work with.
Volunteer For A Cause
Giving back to society is a very important aspect of life. If you can find some extra time on your weekends or ever an hour to spare during the day, try to volunteer at an organization that champions a cause close to your heart. This could include an animal shelter, a hospital or an old age home—anything that resonates with you. The brighter side is that not only will you be helping others, you will also meet lots of like-minded, kind and empathetic people who love giving back just like you do. And isn’t that a great way to make new friends?
Get A Pet
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Now hold up, we’re not saying that a pet can replace human connection. But a pet is a great companion and having them around will make you feel less lonely if you do not have any friends at the moment. And what’s more, they’ll actually help you make more friends! Here’s how—simply take your pet to a dog park or join a training class with them. This way your furry friend will also get a chance to socialise with other animals and you will get to meet some new people too. Bonus point—they will all be pet lovers, so you’ll already have lots in common with them!
Go Virtual
Sometimes, you might feel too shy to go out into the real world and make friends, or maybe you just want to be safe given the pandemic. No problem! You can still make new friends virtually while sitting at home! Now, there are many ways to do this—you could download an app, join a Facebook group, participate in an online activity or even play games online. The options are endless, as long as you have an internet connection and a device like a laptop or a smartphone.
How to Make Friends Online
If you’re looking to meet new people without stepping out of your comfort zone, we totally get it. Some people are just more comfortable with getting to know their new friends better before they meet them IRL! If you’re one of them, we’ve got some great suggestions for you.
Join A Facebook Group
If you have a particular interest or hobby—be it reading, astronomy or pottery—there’s probably a Facebook group for that. These groups are great because you get to join a community of like-minded people and can also exchange information and ideas based on your interests. Plus lots of these groups also have virtual events or even real-life meet-ups when members are comfortable with each other. So find a group that matches your interests and join it ASAP!
Zoom Seminars
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Thanks to the pandemic, we live half of our lives on Zoom now—be it for office meetings or happy hour with friends. So take advantage of all the seminars and virtual events that are happening right now given the COVID-19 situation. You could join a workout class, a book club, a networking program or even attend online tutorials for makeup or cooking. Just make sure you go for something you’ll actually enjoy—that way you’ll learn something new too!
Download An App
If you really want to go the extra mile when it comes to making new friends—go the old school way and get on an app to meet new people. No, we’re not talking about online dating! Although some online dating apps like Bumble also have features where you can look to meet only friends like Bumble BFF! In fact, a lot of dating apps will also have a ‘friends’ filter—so go ahead and explore that—you never know where you might meet your new BFF!
Good ‘Ol Social Media
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Remember that our best tool for making friends is right in our hands—your smartphones. Well, the social media apps in your smartphones, to be specific. Apps like Twitter, Instagram and even Clubhouse are great ways to connecting with like-minded people, sharing views and ideas and developing solid friendships! And once you’re ready, you can take your friendship IRL and plan a meet-up! Just make sure you verify the identity of the person you are speaking to, and don’t fall for any scams!
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Fun dares for friends: There are two types of people – one, who swear by the truth and the other, who are always up for an adventure. Yes, we’re talking about people who enjoy the thrill of taking on dares and acing them like bosses in the dare games. For your epic next night out with your friends or partner, make sure that you give these super fun dares for friends (dare challenges for friends) a shot.
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So, are you ready to go out and make new friends?
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