When you move to a new city, it can be hard to meet new people. The main difficulty is likely mental, and if you take some steps to meet people, your efforts will be rewarded in time. Once you put yourself out there, you’ll find that each time you talk to someone new, it’s a little bit easier. Here are some tips that will help you connect with new faces, and hopefully new friends:
1. Take a class: If you’ve always wanted to take an art class, jewelry making class, fitness class or creative writing class, there’s no better time. Drop a few bucks and join a community education or adult education class. You’re bound to meet like-minded people, but at the very least, you’ll be learning a new skill and expanding your mind.
2. Join a group: The social connection site Meetup.com is a great way to join a group with similar interests and meet new friends. Whether you’re into dining out, religion, book clubs, wine, gardening, cooking, art, outdoor activities, walking or biking, Meetup probably has a group in the area that meets your criteria for fun. And if it doesn’t, then start your own group! You may be surprised how many people were waiting for a new group to begin. Other sites like Craigslist and Facebook may help find connections also.
3. Explore community events: Search for events in your area that are open to the community. Larger cities have plenty of opportunities to mingle with others, from farmers’ markets to fundraisers to fairs. Show up ready to mingle, even if you’re a little nervous about meeting new people.
4. Volunteer: If you have free time, find an organization with a mission that inspires you. Inquire about volunteer opportunities. Not only will you be giving back to a worthy organization, you’re also opening up your list of connections that could turn into friendships.
5. Be friendly: Dale Carnegie’s book How to Win Friends & Influence People was originally published in 1936, but there are still valuable people skills to be learned between its pages. Some of these golden bits of advice include smiling, remembering names, listening intently and being genuine and sincere. Think about how you interact with others and what you could do to improve those interactions.
6. Use your resources: If you’ve got a dog, spend some time at the dog park. If you’ve got kids, take them to an outdoor playground or the children’s museum. If you are religious, join a church or synagogue. (And talk to other people while you’re there!) If you have friends-of-friends in the area, ask to meet up with them for tips on good restaurants and fun things-to-do.
Meeting people is contagious, and once you start, you’ll be on a roll. If you have tips on how you met friends in your area, please share them!
Meetup. Find a Meetup group near you!
Carnegie, Dale. How to Win Friends & Influence People. New York: Pocket Books, 1936.
