7 Tips to Make New Friends
16% – 50% of the population consists of introverts, so it is more likely that there are more extroverts in the world, which makes introverts feel left behind. Even though it is harder for them to make friends, when you get to know these people – they become the most loyal people in your life. Sometimes, even extroverts have problems making a move. Here are a few tips to make the first step easier, and how to make new meaningful connections.
1. Make sure you know what kind of friends you need
Before you start interacting with strangers, take a moment to think about why you need new friends. Is it because you feel lonely and need someone to talk to, or just because you need a party friend, to go out dancing with at the club? This is the key step, as this will determine where you can look for new people to make friends.
2. Be around people who have a lot of friends
The easiest way to meet new people in a more casual way is being around someone, who is already surrounded by them. So find those social connectors at your school or work and hang out more often with them. You can make so many new friends, whom you will easily get along with.
3. Join social networks
Social networks are a great tool not only to know what your friends are doing but also to make new ones. The best tool for making new friends, in my opinion, is Plag – a unified location-based mobile network without pre-defined connections between its users. Here users can actually feel that they live in the same world. You suddenly realize, there are many people out there, who share similar interests and likes.
4. Remember your past friendships
We all have at least one person in our lives, that we were great friends with, but somehow the friendship faded. There was no fight or misunderstanding, but it just happened. It is very likely that the other person also feels the same way, and wishes to be friends again. So, go ahead take the first step towards making your old friendship new.
5. Classmates or colleagues are potential besties
Don’t forget about the people whom you spend most of your time with – your classmates or colleagues already have a few things in common with you. You shouldn’t be afraid, and offer to hang out with them not only during work but also post work hours. It is also easy to organize group meetings – this will make it less formal and people will be more approachable.
6. Find people with common interests
This might sound like one of the cheesiest ways, but usually, people forget about it. I bet you can find a lot of meeting groups in your city, where you’ll get to meet people with similar hobbies. You can find these groups using platforms such as Meetup.com – it is a place filled with like-minded people who are always looking to expand their circle. Volunteering can also be a great option in this case.
7. Don’t forget to keep in touch
To call someone a friend, you first have to pass the acquaintance stage. So even if you meet someone you’d like to be friends with – don’t abandon them after the first contact or meeting. Take an initiative towards planning the next meeting. You can even communicate with the person, just to ask what they’re up to. Just remember – don’t be too pushy.
These are just a few tips that I think will help you find new friends. Feel free to add your suggestions and share their results. And remember – don’t be afraid to try, fail and try again. Yes, it will take time, but trust me, it will definitely be worth the effort.
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