Ideas on How to Get REAL-LIFE Friends
Replies
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Dog parks are great ways to meet people. Cuz you start talking about your pets, and bam instant friends. Least that is what i am TRYING to do:)0
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At your gym maybe? or if there are running or hiking clubs? Go out with your colleagues and meet their friends and steal them
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Meetups are a great idea. You can find them for all kinds of interests. Also, how about a fitness class like zumba or taking a class of some kind like art lessons or dance lessons or whatever. You will probably have to reach out to someone first but in each of these ideas you will have a starting place....something in common.0
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Meetup.com
Local running or bike groups if you are into either of those.
Local book clubs or wine clubs.0 -
I usually walk up to them and slap the....
I kid I kid...
This is how I meet people:
LMAO! I wonder if that would work for me...maybe they wouldn't notice.0 -
I am so glad I am not alone on this topic!
I literally feel like I have 0 friends.
I have two that are cool, but I am a mom and I need some mommy friends.
Problem is that I hate leaving my kids to do anything personal, I feel guilty.0 -
I really have no advice, but I'm in the same boat as you! So I'm "bumping" this thread for new ideas of how to meet new people!!!0
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If your town has a chamber of commerce, hook up with them. They usually sponsor "meet ups" or networking events. It's a great way to meet new people right in your area and they even have events to teach you how to network with people. I was recently required to go to one of these events for school (I'm an adult student) and met a few really nice people. The good thing about this type of environment is that mostly everyone is in the same boat as you...the came alone, and are open to meeting and/or networking with new people. Check it out - see if its an option. I hate people, LOL, and I would go again!0
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post on MFP where you are from city and state. if someone replies that they are in the same city then maybe you could start working out together and have a new friend!0
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My 21 year old son is struggling with that right now. His high school friends have girlfriends, full time jobs, etc...and he works almost full time (30-34 hrs wk) and goes to school. He doesn't hang out with them very often anymore, and is frequently home by himself. I can tell he is lonely, and would probably enjoy some company his own age. He is shy, doesn't like going to places alone, and will not initiate conversation with anyone. It's just so hard to get real-life friends nowadays.0
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Ah who needs 'em anyway?0
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I try to talk to everyone when I am out jogging I say good morning or good afternoon some people respond smile and say hello I have had peole going around the park in the other direction after we smiled a few times started talking and we are now jogging together a few times I also have conversations at my mens fitness class and find people with common interests I guess I try to be open and people respond .
I feel maybe you arent very open I went to look at your profile to see maybe what area you are in or interests and your profile is closed maybe that is what you project to others that you are closed0 -
My husband and I have been going through this for years. Everyone we have meet over the years either didn't have kids or had kids from a previous marraige so they had way more free time than us. We would get last minute phone calls saying 'hey we are going out to dinner or the club can you meet up tonight". Of course we can't/couldn't because we have kids and last minute is out of the question. We alway have to plan for adult only outings.
I am thankful that my kids are getting older and a babysitter is becoming a non issue but it's been this way so long that we don't have any mutual friends. I have some good friends at the gym but they of course are all female and want to do girl stuff, which is great for me but not for us!0 -
Oh honey, there are TONS of us in the same boat. Too bad we don't all live near each other!0
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Girls bathroom at the bar. I go in by myself and leave with a new BFF every time.
^^^^^^THIS0 -
I met my best friend doing spinning classes. Definitely go to some sort of fitness class
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Yeah, the bar would be GREAT ...if there were some around! That would entail going to one by myself, though. Does anyone do that? Lol
<-- this girl does
:flowerforyou:0 -
So many good idea!! Thanks!!
I'm socially awkward, though! THAT'S my problem. I have no problem talking (and I can talk a lot), but I'm just....awkward.
I'm going to make a Find-A-Friend To-Do list and do something different every week or so.0 -
I relocated 4 years ago alone and had to build a new network. It kinda feels like dating. Join organizations (Junior League, professional organizations, etc.). Volunteer with United Way (cuties), Habitat for Humanity (cuties who can build ish), it's an election year so you can volunteer with a campaign (I moved in 2008 and I met some folks that way), etc.
Post something at your gym about wanting a partner to train for a 5k, 10k, whatever you're into. Talk to women in your group fitness classes. Chat them up a few times and then on the 3rd ask if they'd like to get together for coffee (if you see a couple of ladies that are already friends, go after them 2 for 1 special). Also try group training where they pair you up with another person. I've met good people at a Karaoke bar (actually met 3 new ladies that night). Take a class at the community college.
Church is good, but you may have to put in a little effort and actually attend a women's group event, or something that will allow you to talk to people. When service is over, I head straight for the door and others do to. But if your church offers a new members class or anything that allows you to be in small groups check it out.
The chamber of commerce usually has events and committees. Go to free events at a local college on a subject that's of interest to you. Coffee shops, Barnes & Noble. If you regularly shop at any store chat up the sales associate. Me and The Limited girl were tight. Talk more freely with your hair stylist or nail tech. Friend them they usually have a good network of girlfriends. Go to the Tastefully Simple, Pampered Chef, Mary Kay parties. I actually joined Mary Kay to meet new people and have something to do since I moved to a city alone. You have to put in a little effort, but then it's easy sailing. If you want to make friends outside of your city, you can also do travel groups. I just did one in May and have 5 solid new folks. We're planning a trip for August together.
Community is important so I hope you find some tips that work for you. Good luck!!0 -
My husband and I are going through the SAME thing.
And we always just end up hanging out by ourselves or with my sister and her husband.
We've hung out with co-workers outside of work here and there but nothing like a "Real" friend.
Mine have all moved away or are still REALLY into the bar scene (they are quite a few years younger and it's just not my thing anymore)
I have no advice for you, but just wanted to let you know you aren't alone! lol
100% agree. Parenting often times isolate us to not having much friends. Best to enjoy the hubby and I for our date times. I find it very difficult to have close friends due to my healthy lifestyle.
I could have wrote this myself. Most people hubby and my age are still into the dating/bar scene...add parenting and not being able to get out often (babysitters get expensive and we have NO family within 10 hours of us)...we feel pretty isolated. I swear, we are fun...just have to find a way to trick, or um find people to come hang out lol.0 -
Last time I checked was walk up to someone you think you like and say HI. If they don't acknowledge you just tell them to go F@ck themselves. 0
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So many good idea!! Thanks!!
I'm socially awkward, though! THAT'S my problem. I have no problem talking (and I can talk a lot), but I'm just....awkward.
I'm going to make a Find-A-Friend To-Do list and do something different every week or so.
I totally could have written this. I have the exact same issue!!0 -
I kind of figure I'm just an A-hole... :frown: My wife and I have a similar problem. This is also affecting my kids to a point. I move us around the country and each new place we go we are starting over again. It usually just winds up being my wife and i who go to the races, to the park, or even camping.
My wife seems to make girl friends alot easier than I can make friends. I'm not as nice as she is nor do I let people walk all over me. This may be a contributing factor to our very small non existant friends list.
Money issues always seem to play a HUGE role in taking my family out to do things also. We do free thingws like go to the park or go to the library. Just hoping somebody might have similar qualities as us i.e. younger couple with younger kids.
However since I am unable to make friends I got back into my healthy hobby of going to the gym. Plus I have a Pretty neat car with a loud stereo I wash on the weekends......
Sorry but I have no advice for you in fact I am taking some advice from this thread......0 -
My friends are few and far between and have slowly deminished over the years. Co-workers are the closest friends I have and that's the extent of it.
I really don't know HOW to go about finding new friends, but I know I will have to venture out alone.
Does anyone have any ideas on how to meet new people?
I have the same problem, except the close friends I have are all anti-social.
Now that my childran are all grown, I find I have a lot of free time on my hands and no one to spend it with. I have been trying to put myself out there, but being a little bit of an introvert makes it difficult, especially since I don't like bars and atheists arent always welcome at church events. I have made a little progress with help from co-workers, and my kids. In fact, I am hosting a BBQ/pool party at my house on July 4th, and I invited my neighbors and had my kids invite parents of their friends and others they know. So, a lot of new people to meet.
I would also suggest finding a local group, or several, that do things that you like to do: crafts, hobbies, games, book clubs, etc. One other thing I recently discovered is online dating sites. Believe it or not, there are people on these sites that are only looking for like-minded people in their area to hangout with; they do not want any type of releationship other than friendship.
Good luck.0 -
This happens to me also. Nobody believes me when I tell them what happens in the girl's restroom at the bar :smokin: True Story every time lol..Girls bathroom at the bar. I go in by myself and leave with a new BFF every time.0 -
My husband and I are going through the SAME thing.
And we always just end up hanging out by ourselves or with my sister and her husband.
We've hung out with co-workers outside of work here and there but nothing like a "Real" friend.
Mine have all moved away or are still REALLY into the bar scene (they are quite a few years younger and it's just not my thing anymore)
I have no advice for you, but just wanted to let you know you aren't alone! lol
Same for me and my husband, he's an introvert and I am an extrovert. Good thing I like my siblings :-)0 -
At least my husband has a best friend, but when he goes out, I'm home alone
The tables must turn!0 -
meetup
volunteering in your community
volunteering at local races (you meet lots of other volunteers)
gym classes
other hobbies0 -
MeetUp.com. It's a hard thing to do, but MeetUp certainly makes it easier. It also gives you a wider choice of things to do to meet people than go to a bar.0
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This happens to me also. Nobody believes me when I tell them what happens in the girl's restroom at the bar :smokin: True Story every time lol..Girls bathroom at the bar. I go in by myself and leave with a new BFF every time.
Doesn't work for everybody. I did this once, on accident, and the only person I met was the bouncer and he was a real ****.0
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