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Want to know how to make new friends? It is understandable. Friends bring joy, reduce stress, give a shoulder to cry on and of even bring new thoughts and ideas to your life.
It is good to have friends.
But it can be hard to make new friends. It can be specifically harder as you get older, or if you are an introvert. In this post we will discuss some methods you can use to make new friends. Even if you are an introvert or a have a lot of years under your belt.
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How To Make New Friends Online – Ten Awesome Apps
The internet can be a tool for division or inclusion. It draws us apart or can help bring us together. It is all what you make of, and used properly can be a wonderful tool to help you make new friends.
In this section we will discuss how to make new friends using the internet. These friends may be be online in some cases, but can evolve into real life friends with a little effort.
Making friends online is a great option for introverts, since they are not often comfortable socializing in person, but can sometimes feel a greater level of confidence with the anonymity of the online world.
1. Meetup
Meetup is the best way to meet people online in your local area. This is an online tool where local area groups can be made by interest with the idea that you meet up with these people in the real world. This is a great way to utilize the power of the internet to meet new friends.
2. Twitch
Twitch is an online gaming app that lets you meet people who enjoy the same online games as you. It is not directly intended as a tool to find friends but more about learning games and tricks for the games. But if you are a passionate gamer of some specific game, it can be a wonderful way to meet people with the same passion.
3. YUBO
Yubo is an app for meeting new friends that is geared toward the younger generation. It allows people to explore, match and even video chat with other people their age.
4. Friender
As the title suggests this app is 100% designed for the sole purpose of helping someone make new friends. Friender has an algorithm that matches people to other who have the same interests as they do, finding you a pool of the people that it is easy top have meaningful and fun conversation with.
5. Tinder
Okay, Tinder is mostly about hookups. Or friends with benefits. But yes, Tinder can lead to finding friends, although it is not the primary purpose.
6. Skout
Skout is an online app that is halfway between Friender and Tinder. It is a combination app for both meeting new friends and meeting potential dates. Like Tinder or Meetup, this app is location based, so you get matched with potential friends in your local area.
7. Peanut
If you are a mom, this might be the perfect app for you. Peanut is an app for moms to meet other moms so that they can find online friends with the same situation as them. Helping them find shoulder to cry on and support when needed.
8. Atleto
This is an online app for people who are athletic. It helps you find other others online to meetup with for sports, exercise and other athletic activities. Athleto has over 40 different sports to choose from, and is a great way to find people to workout and exercise with in your local area.
9. PawDate
If you love dogs this app is a great way to meet up with other dog lovers. Think of this as a dating app for your 4 legged friends. But while its primary purpose is to find play dates for your dogs, it can also help you meet like minded people in your area.
10. Nextdoor
Nextdoor is an app that could be considered as helping you find friends that are ultra local. This app will connect you with people who may live in the same neighborhood and even in the same apartments. It is a great way to meet the neighbors when you move into a new area.
How to Meet New Friends Using These Apps
The apps above are some of the tools you can use to meet new friends online. Even more common apps like Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat can be tools to making new friends. It is all about how you use them. If you want to learn how to meet new friends, here are some ideas on how to use all these apps to meet new people, who may turn into friends.
- Explore Your Local Area: Leverage ‘meetup’ type apps to plan adventures around the cities you live in. Use these as a chance to explore your area and meet knew people. Hopefully finding new friends, but at least having a great time.
- Study Groups: If you are in high school or college create (or join) study groups to help you learn and potentially meet new friends.
- Learn New Things: Hobbies are a great way to meet new people. Find some hobby that seems interesting and use apps to find or create groups revolving around these hobbies. This way you can learn cool new things, at the same time you meet new people.
- Start a Conversation: This may be a bit obvious, but use the social media to simply start a conversation with the people you meet.
How To Make New Friends -Old School Methods
The online methods above are great ways to leverage modern technology to assist you in finding someone who has been vetted to have similar interests. But there are many methods on how to make new friends that have been used for many years before the invention of the internet.
These methods of meeting new people are time tested. They can and do work and have for many years.
How To Make New Friends At School
Schools are probably the first outlet for the children to interact and enhance their social skills. This is the basic way we all learn to make friends. Unfortunately, some people do not socialize as well as others and some kids fall behind when making new friends at school becomes difficult.
If a child has trouble making new friends parents and teachers have to take charge. If they spot a child who is shy and introverted, then a little encouragement from your side might help. The guardians’ rightful and timely advice and training will develop a child’s mind and interactive skills.
2. How To Make New Friends At College
Now that can be tough for a social butterfly too. Why? Because making new friends at college is like stepping into an ocean where thousands of species co-exist. So it is hard to say who will click with you and who will not. If you are lucky enough to get your childhood friend in the same college as you, then you might have a safe zone to count but otherwise, it is TOUGH.
You see making new friends at college is more intimidating and here’s where a girl/guy has the chance to develop different complexes and mostly, agoraphobia if they aren’t treated well. So here are a few tips on how to make new friends at college without losing your mind.
- Do extracurricular activities
- Find common ground with the people you interact with. That will help you to develop a bond.
- Eat meals with other students
- Try to know a little about everything
- Invite people over for a party or other activity.
- Be nice!
- Just be yourself because that’s what matters in the end!
If you follow these steps or even one of them, you won’t have difficulty in finding new and exciting people with whom you can be friends.
3. How To Make New Friends At Work
Welcome to the realm of adult life where half of the time is spent at work. Workplaces are not that great and engaging when it comes to making new friends. But today, the management realizes the importance of social interactions and they are turning their workplaces into exciting and engaging hubs.
So if you are thinking of how to make new friends at work then don’t worry because you will do that ultimately.
Here’s what you can do to get yourself started.
- Introduce yourself and participate in long and small talks/discussions.
- Learn people’s names and use them in conversation because a simple “hey” is not going to suffice here.
- Eat lunch with your colleagues.
- Suggest after – work drinks/dinner
- Decorate your desk as that will bring some personality to your space.
- Bring in food
- You can also start a chat room if you and the coworkers share a common interest
- Be helpful
- Greet people
- The last point is to have a positive attitude!
So when you read this, you will realize that it is not that tough to make new friends at work. The social interaction is a given in this situation because it is impossible to sit mute at your table!
4. How To Make New Friends After 30
Well, 30 is the age where you hit maturity and pay the bills. Therefore, you might know the difference now that who is your real friend and who is your, hi-bye friend.
But if you are still alone at thirty, then you might want to roll up your sleeves for some action because even the Grinch felt the loneliness and its pangs!
Therefore, you can start seeing people in your neighborhood. If that’s not possible due to your work and other priorities, then you can sign up for some social sports or volunteer for some social work. It is rewarding and gives you a chance with new people who might share your interests.
Another tip is that always go without a phone as it will hinder your interaction with others. Also, stay connected with your old friends!
Friendship takes time and commitment, so you have to make one. Don’t give in to your age’s laziness and cancel the plans unless some other person cancels it. Also, be patient for the friendship to flounder, and you will find some good friends to hold on to till your 40’s and 50’s.
So, it only takes a bit of politeness and using the right words to find and make new friends. Obviously, they will respond if they find you on the same page or see if your interests match theirs. Therefore, it is relatively easy to make friends online. And online is a place that caters to every age needs. Be it a hormonal-packed teen or a mature adult of 40; you will definitely find a match!
6. How To Make New Friends After 50
Well, 50 is an age where you don’t make new friends but cherish the ones you already have. But again, that’s not the case with everyone as over time; you lose a lot of loved ones. So 50 is a point where you can restart your life if you have a positive attitude about it. Therefore, making new friends at the age of fifty is equally rewarding and daunting!
The best way to connect with new people is to find a hobby. Your new hobby could be anything- be it, dance classes, writing classes, choir groups, or any other thing. The best part of these groups is that they welcome you warmly and you don’t feel awkward in adjusting to an entirely new place!
Again, you can volunteer locally, and you will be surprised to meet so many new people over there. Plus it is good to work and is so much rewarding that you will feel great about spending your time into doing something useful!
Another great way of making new friends after 50 is to join your local gym. It has a bunch of other benefits too-such as keeping you healthy and keeping your energy levels high. Don’t expect to make new best friends after your first trip! You have to give it time, and you will be more comfortable in seeing the same faces daily, and you might start a conversation then.
If you are worried about getting active too quickly, sign up for a Tai Chi Class. It is a great way to meet new people and also comes with a multitude of health benefits too, so it is a win-win situation for you!
Remember, you always need another person at every age so never be shy of making new friends because they need springs up from the universal human instinct which everyone on this planet has. Therefore, make new friends at every age with these fruitful steps, and you won’t be alone!
Friendship Tips For A Socially Awkward Person
FAQ – Frequently Asked Question On How To Make New Friends?
Can You Have 2 Best Friends?
Having two best friends means having two individuals who are enormously invested in your well-being. You get two people who be concerned about you in a way only best buddy can. You have two individuals who commemorate your achievement, encourage you, inspire you as well as support you.
Is There an App Just to Make Friends?
Formed by the popular dating app Bumble, their service Bumble BFF seeks to help you make platonic acquaintances in pretty much the same manner.
Do People Need Friends?
Friends are important in your life. So important, in fact, that it has been proven that friendship can expand and extend your life expectancy and lower the odds of heart disease.
What Do You Call A Person with No Friends?
Friendless means simply having no friends. A loner is somebody who would prefer to avoid individuals and to stay alone.
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