How Do I Make Friends As An Adult? Introvert Edition
Since I work from home and I moved to a new city, I’m finding it really hard to make new friends. Weekend after weekend, I’m finding myself stuck in the house because there is no way that my anxiety will let me go out anywhere solo.
Even as an introvert, I must admit that being at home all the time is becoming boring. I mean, the house has everything I need, but a little conversation with an adult once a month wouldn’t hurt.
So, how do you make friends as an adult? Well, first, I had to calm my anxiety.
Anxiety Over Meeting Up With Random People
I’m a little old school, so I prefer to meet people the old-fashioned way out in the wild, but since I no longer have a reason to go into the wild as often, I’ve realized I’ll have to force myself to go places alone, OR meet people online to meet outside. It sounds wrong when I say it out loud, but it makes sense in my head.
I try my best to believe in the best possible outcome and approach things with a positive mindset. A glass of wine also doesn’t hurt, but I definitely wouldn’t show up inebriated. You want people to see your authentic self.
1. Local Facebook Groups Experience
The main reason I use Facebook these days is just for the groups. Many cities and neighborhoods have groups on Facebook that you can join, and often, you’ll find people in the same boat as you.
I noticed a post from a single mom who had a kid-free weekend and was looking to go out.
Hey, girl, me too!
A few other people ended up responding, and by 8pm that night, we were all having a few drinks at a local bar. I had a fun time, and even though it didn’t result in any new long-term friends, it was a much-needed night out.
As always, you’ll want to be very cautious when meeting strangers from Facebook and do your due diligence to ensure it’s a real person.
Here are some suggestions to search for or even create on Facebook if you’re looking to make friends as an adult:
- [Your City] moms (or dads) group
- [Your City] foodies
- [Your City] skaters (or literally any other hobby like knitters, gardeners, runners, etc)
- What’s happening in [Your City Name]
2. Bumble BFF Experience
I think this could really work for someone in their 20s or early 30s, but for me, it was a bust. Since I’m in my late 30s with a kid and a limited schedule, it was hard to connect with the younger crowd.
Most of the women were single and didn’t have kids, so they were looking for travel friends or late-night weekend activities that I just can’t participate in as a single mom.
I did, however, run into a social group on Bumble BFF, which has been great. If you are nervous about meeting someone one-on-one, try suggesting a meetup on Bumble BFF with multiple people.
I recommend Bumble BFF if you are on the younger side and have a lot of flexibility in your schedule or if you run into any social groups that pique your interest.
3. Taking a Class
This one has to be my favorite to date. First, because there is no pressure to take a class with someone, so showing up alone didn’t feel awkward. Second, I got to learn a new skill.
I was actually surprised at the number of random classes my local community college offered for a low price. There are classes for crafts, learning a new language, sign language, photography, yoga, and so much more.
You can try looking up continuing education classes or contacting your local community college.
I chose to take a pottery-making class and a Spanish class, and everyone was super friendly and helpful. I hit it off with a few people and even hung out after class from time to time. The best part was that they were fellow introverts as well so there was no pressure to meet up every “x” amount of days.
Taking a class doesn’t only apply to local college classes. You can see if your city has a rec center that offers classes, or if you’re into fitness, you can see if your gym offers workout classes.
4. Local Events
I found a local event for women’s empowerment and met some of the loveliest ladies. You’ll want to stick to the smaller lcoal events because I found that some of the bigger events can bring people in from out of town.
This resulted in me making new friends, but they were long-distance, and I was kind of hoping to find friends that I could meet up with more often.
5. Volunteering
What better way is there to meet new people than to give back in the process? My job actually piqued my interest in volunteering, and I’ve found that most volunteers are extremely friendly and are looking for a way to connect with others.
I met some great people and organizations while volunteering. Not only did I make friends, but I also got more involved in my community. If you’re looking to make a difference in your community and make some friends along the way, I definitely recommend volunteering.