How to Make Friends: 7 Different Possibilities
Being popular in your new city just got a little bit easier. With these strategies for how to meet new friends in your area, you can now build your social circle from the ground up. It starts out with networking, reaching out, and finding that one good friend who you can spend some time with. Then you meet her friends, and your circle keeps growing. There are many methods you can use to make a friend. For some, it comes easier than others. If you aren't an outgoing personality, there are still ways to meet people without much effort on your part.
How to Make Friends
1. Don't Be Choosy
There's a whole world of friends out there for someone who is willing to put aside judgments and choose friends based on their willingness to be your friend.
2. Overcome Rejection
Making friends can be scary if you are afraid of rejection. But if you are new to your area, true friends will understand your intentions. By taking initiative, you are overcoming your fears.
3. Follow Up
Send an email or a voicemail the day after meeting letting them know how much you appreciate their time. It's the small niceties that form lasting friendships.
4. Meet Friends Online
It's quick, painless, and easy. Start up some conversations with people in your area online and you will be well on your way to forming friendships in person.
5. Explore
Get out and see more of your city. See where people your age hang out and start hanging out there. You will become a familiar face, and the rest will take care of itself.
6. Join a Club
Something that establishes common interests are the best places to meet friends. Go to things you are passionate about and you will meet people more like you.
7. Keep Ties
Old friends are important when you are somewhere new. They will appreciate it and it also helps you a lot when you are in times of hardship.
It can be intimidating to be in a new area with no friends. You feel alone. But there are people out there who feel the same way as you do. And most people aren't going to initiate a conversation with a stranger. By separating yourself from this norm, you are widening your pool of potential friends by a wide margin. Attend parties, sporting friends, or any new event you see listed in your area. This is the best place to meet a friend in a comfortable setting with no pressure. There is also a higher chance you will hit it off and start talking about your common interests.
How to Make Friends in a New Location: The Age-Old Problem that is Still a Mystery to Many People. Fear Not! There is Hope for All of Us
Having a wide circle of friends is not an impossibility in a new town. The ways to make friends revolve around your ability to work smart, instead of work hard. Know where to look, know how to start conversation, and always seem like you would be a good friend.
1. How to Make Friends: Don't Be Too Picky
There is a whole world out there full of people, if you aren't too choosy about the type of friends you make. Meeting friends is about displaying your true personality as soon as possible. Of course people get tired of each other with their little flaws and whatnot. But on first meetings, you should put aside any differences and try to establish a bond. Strong bonds will make long friendships, so treat every first meeting like it could end up in a long friendship. With this mindset, you can make friends easily without much effort at all. It doesn't take much effort to smile, compliment, and just be a friendly person. You aren't trying to win awards for your outgoingness, you are just trying to be your friendly genuine self.
2. How to Make Friends: Your Fear of Rejection is Holding You Back
Making many friends in a new location requires a bit of initiative of your part. But an unhealthy fear of rejection is a problem for many people. You need to rise above the fear and realize that in the grand scheme of things, their opinion of you doesn't really matter. Rejection is inevitable, you will face it many times in life. Best to face it head-on and go after what you want the most. Gaining a new social circle is easy once you make the first step and start chatting someone up. It's a rare thing to encounter courageous people who are willing to walk up to a stranger and start talking.
3. How to Make Friends: Practice Following Up
Getting contact information and following up after the first meeting is a very necessary step in making new friends from scratch. Any sort of follow up is better than nothing. It shows that you remember the person and it wasn't just a one-time thing. Just like how you would follow up after your job interview or date, you want to follow up with a new potential friend. Separate yourself from the other people they meet in their minds. You are a unique individual, so think outside the box in order to make friend. It isn't so hard, once you get in the habit of following up and taking the necessary steps to forge a new friendship.
4. How to Make Friends: Meet New Friends Online
Making friends online is easy and the internet is a good place to get your face out there in your new city. The bigger your city is, the more potential friends you have waiting for you out there. Start out small and make some contacts from people looking to meet online. It could be meetup groups or city events where everyone is invited. There are many resources online that you can do to start up conversation with people. The best thing is that you don't have to risk much by making friends from home. And if the chemistry seems right, then you can step a bit out of your comfort zone and meet the person you've been talking online to.
5. How to Make Friends: Go Out and Explore
Knowing how to navigate the city will prepare yourself better for what's to come in terms of meeting people. You will have a chance to find the best spots where people of your age hang out. Find out the "hotspots" and frequent them regularly. Eventually you will become comfortable in your own skin and will be more likely to start chatting with someone. The further you go out away from home, the more opportunities you will have for making friends. If you stay concealed in your protective bubble, you won't have nearly as many opportunities to find friends.
6. How to Make Friends: Join Some Clubs or an Organization Relevant to Your Interests
Common interests are the number one thing that bring friends together. When you are somewhere where everyone has the same interests as you, finding friends is easy. Because you all know why you're there, it's easier to start talking about something if it's what you're interested in, and the atmosphere is more fun. Sports teams, hobby clubs, and organizations designed to get people to meet each other are everywhere. Some even advertise online and in newspapers. Do a bit of research beforehand and find something that strikes up your fancy. As long as you follow your passions, you will find like-minded people and make friendships that you know will last because your friends share your passion.
7. How to Make Friends: Keep Ties with Your Old Friends
When things in your new location start to get stressful or lonely, it helps to have old friends to keep in contact with for support. Some people would advise against keeping old friends because it holds you back from meeting new potential friends. But it's never good to burn bridges. You never know; they could end up seeing them again someday. Don't let your old friendships die. They don't take much time to keep around and they don't limit you from making more friends unless you let them.
