One of the biggest challenges we face in adulthood is making friends. When we were little, making friends seemed effortless, whether it was your mom setting up a playdate with the girl on your soccer team or passing notes to your homeroom bestie.
As an adult, making friends isn’t that simple. Without the help of school or extracurricular activities, meeting people in your age group with similar interests can feel almost impossible.
Even MORE challenging is making friends in a new city. When I first moved to Dallas, I went through an awkward transitional phase where I didn’t really know many people here, but after a few months, I started to find my footing. Now, I have a network of friends and have explored tons of fun bars in Dallas, having the time of my life in a new city.
That’s why I’m passing my friend-making wisdom on to you. Here are some of my best tips!
Use Apps
Modern technology has made it super easy to meet people, whether you’re looking for friends or a romantic partner. Bumble BFF is a great resource for meeting new people as an adult. The app allows you to make a profile complete with a cute picture of you and some fun facts about yourself.
Bumble BFF works similarly to the Bumble dating app, but instead of swiping on potential love interests, you’re sifting through possible future besties! Pro Tip: if you ARE using dating apps and end up matching with someone who piques your interest, I suggest hanging out in a group and trying to get to know their friends!
Try New Classes
Whether you’re into fitness, art, cooking, or another hobby, signing up for a new class can be a great way to meet new friends. Attending a class takes the pressure off of striking up a conversation with someone new because you’ll be busy doing the activity, and things will happen more organically.
Don’t be nervous about going alone, as many classes will pair you up with a partner or break the group up into smaller teams, so you’ll most likely end up chatting with other people.
To find classes near you, try Googling what you’re looking for or using sites like Groupon to tailor your search and find money-saving deals.
Use Your Personal Network
If you’re moving to a city where you don’t know anyone, a great way to make friends is by utilizing the network of people you already have! Text or DM a friend and ask if they know anybody living in the city you’re moving to, or if you’re feeling especially outgoing, send a message to a mutual friend living in that area.
If you’re feeling a little awkward about doing this, don’t- I’ve met new people by sending a simple “Hey, what’s up?!” DM to friends of friends, and I’ve seen other people do it as well. You can also post an IG story asking if anyone knows the area you’re moving to and wait to see who reaches out!
Don’t be a Stranger
Whether you’re moving into a new building or you want to make friends in your existing one, start hanging out outside of your apartment. If your building has a communal area or swimming pool, grab a good book and hang out at one of those spaces. If somebody who seems cool happens to be there, try to strike up a conversation. Use some of my fun first date questions to get to know someone better.
You never know who might be your next BFF, so make yourself friendly and open for conversation.
