20 Ways to Meet New People and Expand your Social Circle

The 21^st century is daunting as far as forming friendships go. We are all cocooned in our own personal, virtual world of social media. We may have thousands of friends on a social networking site but how many of these can be counted as genuine friendships?
 

If you want to break free, and ready to try and meet new people in the hope of finding good friends, then read on. 

For the extroverted, making new friends is a piece of cake but it can be the stuff of nightmares, however, for the die-hard introverts.

This one is for those of you who find it difficult to make friends but are ready to try.

The best tip and advice while you step out to meet new people and make friends is to be very forgiving and open-minded.

Don’t be discouraged if your brightest million-dollar smile is met with a blank stare. You can do two things here; get mad or even worse, decide to give up completely OR you can shrug the snub off and try again. 

The first option will do nothing except push you back to right where you started, the second may potentially get you a life-long friend.

The first step to making friends is to look for opportunities to meet new people. The more people you meet the better are your chances of finding one. Read on to find the 20 best ways, places and opportunities of meeting new people and making friends.

Your neighbor will in all probability be your best resource to learn about the options you have; from the best trash service to the best gigs happening in town. Go ahead and bake your favorite batch of cookies and try to go at a time when it is least inconvenient, like a weekend.

Dogs and babies are the best ice-breakers. If you have any one of these, then your chances of making friends faster is easily bolstered.

Chances are you will find more dog owners than new parents with little ones; so put that leash on your dog and head out for a walk. Google the closest dog park and head right out to make some new friends.

If you are sans a baby or a dog then that’s alright too. Dig deep to find a long-forgotten hobby or activity. Look around to see if there are any places offering classes or clubs formed by people sharing the same interests. This is a great way of meeting new people with common platforms.

The local gym is another great watering hole to meet new people. Make sure to join a group class so as to better your odds. With group classes, the short time before and after each class begins and ends, is just about enough to keep meeting the same people to establish and maintain contact.

Volunteering for something you like, is another way of meeting new people with similar mindsets. Most organizations are always in a dire need of volunteers. If you are a parent, then you can start with your child’s school. If not, then find an organization you like.  Opportunities for volunteering will be posted on their websites. 

If you are fortunate enough to have colleagues who include you right away into their social circle then that is half the battle won. If not, then don’t hesitate to let them know that you’re looking for opportunities to meet new people and make friends. Remember, it is you who are the one in need, so don’t hesitate to put yourself out there.

The local library is another great place to meet people of similar interests. Most libraries will offer book clubs, a language class or signing or readings of a book. This is a great opportunity where you can get to know of any volunteering opportunities as well.

Posting on your social media page about your move will let your friends know that you have moved to a new place. If any of them have someone they know in the same city or close enough for you to reach out to, then your chances of meeting them and making friends increase considerably.

​​​​​Local events are more often attended by the town locals as these events are seldom advertised. If you keep at it with a friendly attitude, in time you will be able to bond with those who visit these events regularly too. Farmer's markets and open-air concerts are some of them. 

Everyone loves to eat and drink, more so on the weekends. After a long hectic week, nothing gives you greater pleasure than unwinding with your favorite food and friends. Pubs and Sports bar and grills are a great place to meet people, if you’re so inclined and have a desire to meet people of the same age group.

So, you are a tech savvy person. Well, good for you!

Check out the following top five apps that are specially designed to meet people for the sole purpose of making friends.

REALU states at the onset itself that the website is designed specifically for meeting people with friendship in mind. This, invariably, takes away the pressures off of dating and romantic liaisons.

The site means business when it mentions that one shouldn’t be on their cell-phones while everyone else around them is having fun. Once you are a registered member depending on your interests and likes, it sends you notifications and shows you profiles of people with similar interests and events happening near you.

An off-shoot of the Bumble dating website, the BumbleBFF site will ask questions such the intention for making friends whether it is looking for a travel companion or a gym partner.  The site has various criteria which include compatible zodiac or star signs as well.

The name of this app says it all.

If you are looking for a friend then check out this one just for its tell-all name. The site matches your likes and interests with another person whose profile shares at least one of your interests as well.

SKOUT has been around for more than eleven years. This site doesn’t believe in any geographical boundaries, so if you are in a new city or town and are looking for someone with the same common interests to hang out with, then the SKOUT app should be on your smartphone. It allows room for a romantic interest to develop. 

For someone going through life wanting to have their best friend as their life-partner, this site is definitely right for you. 

Meetup is the site you would want to consider if you are very specific about what you are looking for in a friendship. If you strongly believe that strong friendships are rooted in common likes and interests, look no further than Meetup. The website has an interface listing a plethora of interests and likes.

Other online avenues to meeting friends are Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Nextdoor or online communities based in your city.

Always start small. The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. With patience and perseverance, you will eventually find the perfect friends for you whose first smiles will turn into cherished friendships.