50 Ways to Meet New People and Build Friendships

  Sometimes meeting friends can be daunting, especially when you suddenly find yourself in a new city or for whatever reason totally without friends. Making new friends can come easy to some people, but to others it might take more work. If you're stumped for where and how to meet new people, this list of suggestions is sure to inspire you.

Perhaps the best way to meet new friends is when you’re getting outside your comfort zone and doing something new. Getting involved in a new hobby, taking a class that makes you stretch your mind, or just making a point to do something different than the usual are all good ways to connect with someone new. First of all, you'll be meeting new people you probably would never have crossed paths with this way, and second, you'll be in the mood to experience something out of the ordinary. A new class or project will automatically help you give out a vibe that says you're open to learning and conversation, which is the perfect way to start a new friendship off the right way


Making friends doesn’t need to be complicated, often you can meet new people just by changing a few things in your daily routine. For example, instead of going through the drive-through for things like:

park that car and go inside. If nothing else, it helps you make small talk. Standing in line and seeing other people on a regular basis gets you in the habit of conversing, being polite, noticing things about people, and making connections. Plus, if you spot someone you know casually, seeing them out like this is a good way to start up a conversation and get to know them better.

If you're introverted like me, meeting new friends while traveling can seem like a really intimidating thing. But there are actually several organizations and websites that will help you connect with others. It's amazing to me how important the Internet has become in the last few years when it comes to friendship. A few years ago, I might never have even attempted to make friends while traveling, because I'm just too shy

Speaking of introverts, I'll bet you thought that we had less opportunities to meet friends than extroverts. Not so! If you're into books and authors, there are several great ways to connect with new people. One of them is by joining a book group. Of course, you don't need to be introverted to enjoy a conversation about literature. The great part about joining one of these groups is that you'll meet a surprising variety of people.

I've found that if I join a book group that I wouldn't "normally" have joined, it helps me read books that I would not have picked out myself. There have been some very nice surprises this way for me in terms of different people I've met and the types of things I've been able to read. For example, last year my book group read The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. This would never have been something I'd have chosen myself, and yet because of the book group I had to read it. Turns out, I loved it. Not only that but I've since gone with friends to see the movie. It is these types of things that can help you meet friends.