I moved to Florida at the beginning of this year and I’ve been on a MISSION to make friends. I’m an introvert and not naturally inclined to be super social, but I know that I need community and that having friendship makes life sweeter. So I’ve been trying alllll the ways to meet friends! Below are recommendations for ideas to try when you’re making friends as an adult.

Methods of making friends as an adult:

Attending Meetup groups

The Meetup app is a glorious resource when you’re trying to meet new people. It’s mission is literally in the name itself! Meetup groups are social groups that meet in person and are focused around all kinds of things – nights out, sports, book clubs, Bachelor watch parties, you name it. You can find a group that fits whatever your interests are.

When I moved to Florida I looked for meetup groups named things like “20s and 30s socializing” that were focused primarily around social activities like going out to dinner. It can definitely be anxiety inducing to walk into a new group of people all alone, but the beauty of Meetup is that everyone is there for the purpose of meeting people, which means everyone is friendly, open, and judgment-free.

Seeking at Church

If you’re a Church-goer, meeting others at Church can be an obvious route to take to meet people. Many churches have either Bible study groups or social groups for certain ages, especially if there’s a larger congregation. When I first moved here, I tried joining a young adults group at a local church. Unfortunately I quickly discovered that I was roughly 7 years older than everyone else in the group, so I guess I’m not as young as I think I am! While that method of finding BFFs didn’t work, I at least tried to put myself out there.

If you don’t find a Church group that’s a good fit for you,  I also recommend just introducing yourself to people who hang around before or after the Church service – near the welcome area, in the lobby, or seated around you. Just introduce yourself and see where the conversation goes. Next week I’m getting coffee with a random woman my age who I happened to meet in a Church lobby!

Joining Clubs/Activities

If you have a hobby, I highly encourage joining clubs or activity groups in your area that center around that hobby. If you love kickball, look for a local kickball league. Or if you love painting, join a painting class. I personally don’t have social hobbies (I’m more of a book and puzzle gal), so I branched out and found a Young Women’s Club in my area. I call it my “adult sorority” because just like a sorority, it’s all about philanthropy – AKA it’s really about socializing. (FYI your area might have a Women’s Club or Junior League as well – look it up!) My club has monthly meetings, social events, and volunteer events to participate in. I love that it has set activities that offer a structured way of socializing!

Using Bumble BFF

Apps aren’t just for dating anymore! If you haven’t heard of Bumble BFF, it’s a feature on the Bumble dating app. In the same way that you fill out a dating profile on the regular app, you fill out a BFF profile instead. Then you swipe through the profiles of potential “BFFs,” match with people who have also liked your profile, and start a conversation. Bumble BFF is a quick and easy way to find compatible friends!

So far I’ve met two new friends on Bumble BFF. Honestly, going on a Bumble BFF date feels a lot like going on a real first date – a little nerve-wracking! But it’s actually so nice to just candidly meet someone knowing that you’re both looking for friendship.

Talking to strangers

Talking to strangers is the most daunting way to make friends, but it can be effective! And I promise you can pull off speaking to strangers without seeming creepy or weird. The key is to look for natural openings to strike up a conversation. A few weeks ago, I met a potential friend at Starbucks (surprise, me at Starbucks again). A woman my age asked me to watch her bag while she ordered her drink, and when she came back I just started asking her about herself. Twenty minutes later she’d invited me to her Church! You never know who you’ll meet if you just open yourself up to meeting strangers. And if the conversation with said stranger is awkward, that’s okay! Take comfort in the fact that you’ll likely never see them again.

I hope this gave you some good ideas for making friends as an adult! Do you have any other tips for meeting friends? Let me know in the comments!

xo,
Liz