World Friendship Day is coming up, so I thought I would write a post all about making friends!
I've written before about why it is so hard to make friends as an adult, and that can be even harder when you move house or head to a new city. When you're little, you always have people to hang out with at school or University.
However, this gets a lot harder as an adult- and it's important to find new ways to make friends.
In this post, I've put together 5 tips to make friends in a new city. If you're nervous about a big move or you're planning a trip somewhere new, I hope this post gives you a few ideas!
1. Work
It might seem obvious, but work is one of the best (and easiest) ways to meet people!
If you're starting a new job in your new home, be open to finding people you might want to be friends with.
Even if you only speak to them at work, it's someone you'll look forward to seeing everyday- and it will help you feel a bit more welcome in your new city.
It's also a great idea to show that you're open to doing something outside work.
Once you go out with colleagues outside of work, it's easier to see whether you want to be friends with them or if they're just someone you like to chat with at work.
There's nothing wrong with this- but getting out of the workplace is a great way to find out more about your friendship.
2. Visit local businesses
If you work from home or you don't want to make friends at work, visiting local businesses is also a great way to meet people!
You're guaranteed to meet people in the local area, and just being in a busy, social environment can help your mental health if you're finding it hard to make friends in your new city.
Even just going into your local coffee shop everyday and chatting to the barista is a great way to build some socialisation into your day.
If you're moving to a new city, a local business is also a great place to find out about any local events, festivals or groups, giving you even more chance to meet people in the area and form some friendships.
3. Online
It goes without saying that meeting people online can be unsafe, and it's important to put your safety first.
However, there are lots of genuine, local Facebook groups that you can use to find out about events in your local area or just chat to others nearby.
As a blogger and social media user, I've chatted to a lot of people online who live near me.
They might not live in the same city, but it's great to find people who I can go and visit for the weekend or even just chat to online when I want a bit of social time.
If you decide to meet up with someone in person that you've met online, make sure it's always in a public place.
Tell someone you trust about your plans, just to be on the safe side- and leave straight away if you feel uncomfortable at any point.
Hopefully you'll click in person as much as you do online!
4. Get active
One of the best ways to meet people is to have a club, sport or hobby in common.
Although you don't need to have something in common to be friends, it can help to share a common interest to get the conversation going.
If you love tennis, join a club. If you want to get active, head to the gym.
These are great places to get chatting to other people, and you'll already have something in common which is a great starting point.
If you regularly see other runners when you're out for a jog, try chatting to them and arranging a run together.
You don't have to join a club or take part in a group sport to make active friends!
5. Volunteer
Similar to joining a club, volunteering is a great way to meet new people who share a common interest or goal.
You could volunteer once a week at a food bank or sign up for an online charity. Chances are, you'll chat to some very like-minded people who could turn into friends as you find your feet in your new home.
This is a great way to make friends in a new city if you work from home or you don't have a workplace to find friends, and it will also give you a great sense of purpose!
Do you have any tips for making friends in a new city? Let me know all your thoughts in the comments!
Love, Sarah xoxox
