Meetup Social Sites Friendship

• If you're looking for friends, one of the best sites to help you find activities in your area is Meetup. Meetup.com is a collection of almost 80,000 personal and professional groups from 45,000 different cities.
• Benefits of Meetup.com. Okay, so the site can help you make friends in the basic sense that it lets you meet people. It also has a few unique benefits that can facilitate friendships: It lets you easily attend lots of social events - Don't have any plans on Monday and Thursday evening? Just see what's on Meetup.com, pick some events that seem.

One way to meet new people, to make friends or practice your social skills, is through meet ups organized over the internet. At the moment the most popular and well-known site for this is Meetup.com, which lets you attend or create local social groups. It's free to join and go to events, but costs money if you want to form a group yourself. Some of the groups are based purely around having people meet and mingle, while others are centered around hobbies, careers, or business networking.

Over the years I've gone to a bunch Meetup.com events, met some fun people, and made a few friends. I haven't created or run any groups myself, though I see how that could have potential. This article will share what I've learned about how to mingle and meet people at them (this other article discusses the pros and cons of Meetup.com as a way to make friends).

I'll talk about Meetup.com events specifically, but most of the ideas can be applied to meet ups organized through other means, like a forum. The biggest difference is that if you're going to a meet up arranged through a forum you frequent you may already be familiar with some of the attendees through your online conversations, rather than going in not knowing anyone.

Meetup Friends has 964 members. Share events and fun things to do with other Meetup friends that may or may not be posted in Meetup.

(This article is currently focuses on Meetup.com because it's the biggest site of its kind and will be the most useful for anyone who wants to try to socialize through meet ups. Down the road if it dies off and another site or app takes its place I'll rewrite and update the content to reflect that.)

Guide to socializing at larger meet ups

The social dynamics of meet ups vary. Some are big events where everyone circulates and mingles at a pub. Others are smaller and more activity-focused, like five people getting together to play board games. Below I'll focus on the bigger meet-and-greet type, as people tend to find them the most intimidating. However, some of the ideas will apply to other kinds of meet ups as well.

It's totally fine if you're nervous ahead of time

Pretty much everyone gets nervous before their first meet up or two, especially if they're going alone and won't know anyone. It's an uncertain, unfamiliar social situation, and it's only natural you'll feel some anticipatory anxiety. It's also fine if you sign up for and then bail on a few meet ups before you finally work up the courage to show up to one.

It's okay if you're not used to this kind of thing

Often enough when a group posts an event there be a comment from a new member saying, 'I'm going to attend this meet up, but I've never done anything like this before. It feels weird to walk into a room of people of strangers.' It's no big deal if you feel this way. Not everyone does this kind of thing every day and effortlessly knows how to work a room.

Finding the group when you arrive at the venue

Newcomers are often worried about finding everyone else when they arrive, if the meetup's being held in a busier public spot. Sometimes the other members will be easy to find. There might be a designated room set aside at a pub, a greeter, a sign, name tags, or just a conspicuous large group of people who clearly haven't met before. Meetup.com lets members attach pictures to their profiles, so you can check who's attending the event ahead of time and try to spot some familiar faces. Another option is to exchange contact details with the event organizer so you can message them if you can't find everyone when you arrive.

Worst case scenario is you'll have to go up to people and ask them if they're from the meet up. It's not an embarrassing thing to admit you're attending. It's just a social get together. No one will think you're a freak if you go up to the wrong group by mistake. Once you've found the right group at least your asking who they are will have broken the ice.

Actually, there's another worst possible case, but only for time-sensitive events like movie nights. If you arrive late everyone will already be seated and you may not be able to find them. If that happens just accept you needed to leave earlier and try again another time.

It's fine if you're nervous and shy when you first get there

Again, this is common. Aside from the situation being unfamiliar, not everyone is able to launch into Confident Mingler Mode as soon as they step through the door.

Don't bail if you feel nervous at first

I've been to meet ups where attendees have been shy and reserved for the first hour or so, but they hung in there, became more comfortable, and got involved in several good conversations later in the evening. If you're hesitant to approach anyone, it's fairly likely people someone still come talk to you. If you want to start conversations you could ease into it by going up to the most friendly-looking, non-intimidating people first. If the event is at a pub a drink or two may help you relax. You never want to use alcohol as a social crutch, but a small amount can take the edge off and help you ease into the evening.

The event organizer may help you feel more comfortable or join some conversations

Most event hosts want the attendees to have a good time. They realize meet ups can make people feel out of their element, and will often happily chat to you when you first arrive so you can get that first scary conversation out of the way, or introduce you to everybody. Some will go out of their way to help ease you into the group if you email them ahead of time and say you're feeling nervous about attending.

This is great when it happens, and it often does, but at the same time you can't take it for granted that the organizer will be there to support you. Even if they do, don't try to take all their time. They're likely a regular person who wanted a way to go to more get togethers. Most are fine taking on some light social facilitator duties, but others can't be bothered and just want to show up and talk to their friends. What none of them are are dedicated shyness or social skills therapists. Some meet up organizers complain that some guests expect too much, and want them to put their entire evening on hold to help one person.

Some ideas for getting into conversations

At smaller meet ups the dynamic will be that of a casual group conversation, and you'll automatically be part of it as soon as you show up. If the meet up is centered around an activity, that will tend to structure the interaction. At larger social meet ups you need to actively mingle, but the reason everyone's there is to talk to new people, so starting or joining conversations is easy.

The simplest way to start talking to a single person is to introduce yourself. Once the conversation begins you can ease into it by spending a minute or two asking about nothing-fancy topics such as:

• 'Is this your first meet up?'
• 'How long have you been in town?'
• 'Do you work or go to school? / 'Where do you work?', 'What are you majoring in?'
• 'What kind of stuff do you do for fun?'

If the group is hobby-related you can obviously ask about your shared interest. If the event is watching a comedy show or band, you can ask people what they thought of it after. Most attendees are fine talking about meet ups themselves, but occasionally someone will seem embarrassed and self-deprecating about the fact that they're at one. If that's the case just casually reassure them it's no big deal, and it's just a way to be sociable.

Approaching groups is just as straightforward. You can go up and introduce yourself, or saddle up to them, listen to their conversation for a bit, and then chime in. From there you can stay in the group discussion, or if it seems appropriate, turn to someone beside you and have a one-on-one chat with them.

Events will have a mix of newcomers and regulars

Newcomers are typically friendly, though they may be feeling a bit nervous or unsure at first too. Regulars can be a mixed bag. Some are as sociable as anyone else, and may even play host and introduce you everyone else they know. Others can unintentionally give off a cliquey vibe by mostly hanging out with their fellow regulars. The thing to know about this situation is you shouldn't hesitate to try to join their group conversations. Maybe you'll click with them, maybe not, but you're at an event where the whole point is to meet new people, so it's completely acceptable to take a shot at it. Of course, many regulars will be friendly if you take the initiative to speak to them. Others may be intially be more closed off, but get easier to talk to if you become more of a regular yourself.

If you can't circulate freely, try to make it happen

I think the ideal event to make lots of new conenctions is in an area where most people are standing and able to move around, with some chairs and tables off to the side so groups can break off and sit down if they want to have a more involved discussion. It's less ideal when everyone is sitting down at one big table or group of tables, because then people can get locked into one spot for the night and limit their opportunities. If you find yourself in an everyone's-sitting-down situation, don't be afraid to move around. If no chairs are free to sit down in, take yours with you.

If the event doesn't provide much opportunity for conversation, try to make that happen too

For example, at a movie night everyone may only have fifteen minutes to talk before the show starts, and then quickly part ways once it's over. If you want to socialize and get to know everyone better this is the time to ask if anyone wants to go to a coffee shop or pub to talk further. Some of the attendees may have shown up mainly for the movie and will still want to leave, but at least a few should take you up on your offer.

If the meet up involves something like playing a game, there may be plenty of interaction, but a lot of it will be about the activity itself. If you try to have a longer getting-to-know-you discussion with someone, you may only be able to ask them a question or two before everyone's attention gets pulled back to what's happening in the game. Accept you can't have an in-depth conversation then and there. Be okay with shorter exchanges. Again, maybe you can chat to people distraction-free afterward.

Don't expect to hit it off with everyone, or for everyone to be interested in you

You'll be meeting a range of people. Your only common ground may be that you're in the same fifteen-year age range and are open to meeting new friends. You can't realistically connect with all of them. Some you may find pleasant enough, but not your style. With others the conversation may feel stilted. Some won't be there for the same reasons as you, and not open to talking (e.g., if you're male, a fellow guy may only be there to meet women).

Expect some of the conversations to be fairly quick and maybe end abruptly

At bigger meet ups many people will want to mingle and meet as many other attendees as they can. You may end up in some longer conversations, but don't take it personally if after a few minutes someone says it was nice meeting you and they're going to look around a bit more. You can always catch up with them again later if you want. Of course, don't be afraid to float around yourself. If you want to end a conversation use the above line, or say you're going to get another drink, use the bathroom, go for a smoke, etc. It's fine to just slip away from group conversations you're not that engaged in.

Have an idea going in of the types of people you want to meet and concentrate on talking to them

Meetup Social Sites Friendship Wi

It can be fun to mingle. It's sometimes easy to get distracted by having conversations for their own sake, and you can neglect to focus on the people who may be the best potential friends for you.

If you're a single woman I think this is something you particularly should be mindful of. It's easy for women to show up to events and have a lot of their time taken up by men who are looking for someone to date. If you're looking to date too, then great, but if you're mainly there to meet female friends, then be proactive about meeting and getting to know other women, and assertive about not letting your time get sucked away by men who want to chat you up (luckily it's easy to exit conversations with the, 'It was nice talking to you. I'm going to mingle more' line). Don't let what I just said scare you off meet ups entirely though. They're not completely infested with pesky guys on the prowl. Sure there may be single men there, but no more than any other larger social event. Or if you're still unsure about the guy factor, many cities have female-only social groups.

A similar problem can affect you if you're a single guy who wants to expand his social circle. Even if you want to make some male or platonic female friends, once you get to an event and think, 'There are cute women here, and it's easy to start conversations with them', you can get distracted and sidetracked from your original goal.

If you really click with someone, ask for their contact info and try to hang out with them outside Meetup.com

If you sort of get along with someone, by all means take your time and hope you can run into them at other meet ups and slowly get to know them better. However, if you really hit it off with another attendee, be more active about jumping on the opportunity. You might run into them at another get together, but you can't count on it. If you don't ask them for their contact info at the event then message their Meetup.com profile in the next day or so to try to get it then. Taking the initiative to hang out with people outside the context you met them in is core making friends advice. Once you have their contact details, follow up fairly soon, or the lead could go stale. If you don't invite them out, at the very least stay in contact and arrange to show up at another meet up together, where you can get to know them further.

Even if you have a pleasant conversation with someone at an event it's not a guarantee they'll want to hang out later, of course. They may have enjoyed talking to you briefly, but don't see you as a good match for anything more. They may have gotten cold feet because they were nervous about hanging out with you one-on-one outside a meet up. There are also people who will go to meet ups to socialize, but aren't serious about seeing anyone outside of them. All these situations can be disheartening, but you've still got to try. There's always some uncertainty and playing the numbers game when making new friends.

Head home whenever you feel like it, but realize if you stick around sometimes a small group will go somewhere else after

If you've been at the event for a few hours and have had your fill of course it's fine if you want to take off. However, at social meet ups that start early it's not unusual for a smaller group to stick around and decide to go somewhere else after. If you click with them changing venues can be a good way to bond further and feel like you're really getting to know each other and are on the road to becoming friends.

You made it—you’ve just moved to a new city or town. It’s exciting and maybe a little intimidating at the same time. Aside from locating nearby shopping and healthcare providers, you’re probably wondering about the best ways to meet new friends!

Sound about right?

If you are looking for the best ways to meet new friends in a new city, first think about the hobbies and activities that are enjoyable for you.

It can be fun to get out of your comfort zone in a brand new activity. However, starting with one you already know and love will give you the confidence needed to start up a conversation with someone who shares that interest.

Make a quick list of the activities you are most comfortable with.

Need some good ideas first? Take a look at our list of fun ways to meet new friends in a new city, as well as ways to meet friends online.

The Best Ways to Meet New Friends in a New City

1. Volunteer in the community

When you have a passion for giving back, it is easy to find others who share that passion. Sharing a few hours of your time each month will benefit both your organization of choice and you.

Of all the great places to meet new friends, volunteering for a cause you care for ranks very high!

Find the perfect volunteer opportunity for you on VolunteerMatch.org by entering your city and your areas of interest.

Consider some of these worthy causes:

• Human rights and advocacy
• Children and youth
• Animal welfare
• Arts and culture
• Education and literacy
• Crisis support or disaster relief

[clickToTweet tweet=”#MakeFriends by finding a volunteer opportunity for you on VolunteerMatch.org. #volunteer” quote=”Make new friends by finding the perfect volunteer opportunity for you on VolunteerMatch.org.”]

2. Join an amateur sports team

Whether you are highly athletic or just enjoy having fun, there is a sports league for you. From competitive softball to flag football, to “just for fun” dodgeball leagues, sports leagues create great ways to meet new friends in new cities.

Find a league in your area with sites like ZogSports or Sportsvite.

3. Join a gym and try an exercise class

Joining a gym is a great way to stay fit and get social. Add an extra layer of social to your membership by taking one or more of the offered exercise classes.

You may find something you really enjoy, and a new workout partner could become a friend outside the gym as well.

Pump up your chances of making strong bonds (and muscles) by joining a specific kind of gym like:

• CrossFit,
• or OrangeTheory.

4. Join a dance class

Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to be an experienced dancer to join a class later in life! If you enjoy great music and staying active, dance classes provide one of the best ways to meet new friends.

Pick a genre you enjoy and then consider practicing outside of the classroom in social settings like clubs or bars.

You can try dancing without breaking the bank; search for dance lessons on Groupon to get a great deal.

5. Run a local road race

Every runner will tell you that road races are fun, communal events. Races and running clubs offer fun ways to meet new friends, see your town from a new perspective, and break a sweat.

Experienced runners and novices alike can enjoy the benefits of getting involved in the runner community (don’t worry, it’s not an elite club!).

Use an app like Nike Run Club to link up with, compete against and/or cheer on other runners in your area.

6. Join your local Chamber of Commerce or a Professional Networking Group

If you own your own business, joining the Chamber of Commerce is a highly effective way to meet new people and build a network of referrals.

People who start off as network acquaintances can turn into lifelong friends.

The passion shared by business owners and dedicated professionals is contagious. If you don’t own your own business but take great pride in your profession and want to meet new friends who share that drive, networking events are the number one way to do it.

SEE ALSO:Travel Nursing for New Grads: 5 Reasons to Just Go For It

7. Join a religious group or cultural club

Certainly one of the best ways to meet new friends is through a shared love of religion or culture. Becoming active in a local church, synagogue or mosque will ensure that you engage with a community of like-minded people who will support you.

If religion isn’t for you, but you have strong ties to your culture, consider seeking out the local club or chapter that represents your culture in your city.

8. Join a wine club

If you enjoy a nice glass of wine and good conversation, it won’t be hard to make new friends in a wine club.

Many cities have wine clubs that tour the local wine bars and wineries (where applicable). Learn more about wine and make friends on the journey!

9. Join a book club

Not only are book clubs one of the best ways to meet new friends, reading is widely known to be excellent for the brain and overall emotional health.

Unwind with a new book each month and join a club where you can find new friends and enjoy a discussion. Finding the right book club is easy with websites like My Book Club and Reader’s Circle.

[clickToTweet tweet=”Book clubs are one of the best ways to meet new friends! #makefriends #bookworm” quote=”Book clubs are one of the best ways to meet new friends, and good for your health!”]

10. Join a sports team fan club

Do you love your team? You aren’t alone! It doesn’t matter where your team is from or what sport they play, chances are there are others in your city who also love them.

Joining a fan club is one of the great ways to meet friends online! If you are up for cheering on games together, you can probably find a local bar dedicated just to your team!

The easiest way to find these clubs is through your team’s official website. Be sure to grab your favorite team’s hat or jersey from Fanatics.com.

11. Take your dog to the park

A shared love of pets is an instant conversation-starter. If you love dogs and the outdoors, taking your dog to the dog park is definitely one of the best ways to meet new friends.

No dog parks nearby? If meeting people in a new city is on your to-do-list, walk your dog in a popular place like downtown to run into potential new friends.

12. Go to the beach or lake

Relax and soak up the sun with a great book on the sand, or join a pick-up volleyball game. Spending time at the beach or lake is a fun activity by yourself, but it creates lots of opportunities to meet new friends.

Meetup Social Sites Friendship Heights

Consider taking a water-based class like paddleboarding or snorkeling and use these activities to meet friends.

13. Join local Facebook Groups

One of the best ways to meet friends online is to join Facebook Groups. Use the search bar at the top of the home page and select “groups” to narrow down results to your liking.

Try using your city’s name as part of the search to see local results.

Are you a traveling health professional? Check out our Inspired Traveler Facebook Group to gain access to a community of like-minded friends.

14. Go to bars with events like Trivia Night

Social Sites Like Facebook

If you enjoy a competitive round of trivia, consider making new friends by joining a team at a local bar or brewery.

Most players will join these events with a full team. For those without a group, the trivia managers can place you with a team of people who are new to the game like you.

Need ideas for a creative or funny team name? Browse through suggestions here.

SEE ALSO:Travel Safety Tips: What You Need to Know Before You Go

15. Visit a museum, zoo, aquarium or national park

Spending time at one of these public places can be a great way to enjoy the day and meet new friends who share your interests.

Many cities offer a variety of museums featuring collections of all kinds. If you are more inclined to spend the day with animals, many zoos and aquariums offer walking tours or wildlife classes.

There are 58 national parks in the U.S. If you happen to be in the area of one or more, consider purchasing an “America the Beautiful Pass”. It will give you access to over 2,000 federal recreation sites. Each pass covers entrance fees at national parks and national wildlife refuges as well as day use fees at national forests and grasslands.

16. Go to a local music, food or art festival

Attending festivals is one of the best ways to meet new friends. Festivals are very communal, centered around having fun, and often include group activities like games, competitions, and demonstrations.

Your local city or town newspaper’s website may have a calendar of events to peruse.

17. Take a foreign language class

Learning a new language is a fantastic way to continue your education and open yourself up to a new culture. Learning in a group setting makes it easy to form new connections, but it can also be a great way to meet friends online.

You can always use the popular online language system Rosetta Stone, which offers access to groups and “co-ops” where you practice with others.

[clickToTweet tweet=”Learning a language in group setting makes it easy to form new connections. #makefriends #travel” quote=”Learning a language in a group setting makes it easy to form new connections.”]

18. Shop at local businesses

Local business owners are eager to meet and serve their community.

Spending time in the local boutiques and restaurants in your town ensures that you can build relationships with the hard-working people who own the shops.

Patronizing these businesses also create opportunities to meet other members of the community who “shop local” and could become shopping buddies.

SEE ALSO:9 Things You Need for a Complete Travel Nurse Packing List

19. Go to a farmer’s market

Many towns offer monthly farmer’s markets full of great produce and local products. Like shopping locally, farmer’s markets create a fun way to support your community and surround yourself with neighbors who are interested in doing the same.

If you enjoy healthy living, farmer’s markets are one of the best ways to meet new friends in a new city, because of the diverse group of people who attend.

20. Take a local brewery tour

Craft beer has exploded onto the scene in recent years and almost every town has at least one local brewery. In addition to great beer, these breweries often offer tours and classes making them a great place to meet new people and have fun.

Cities with large collections of breweries even see new tours popping up like Brew Bus, a bus tour that takes you to multiple breweries over the span of a day.

Meetup Social Sites Friendship Maine

21. Join MeetUp.com

Perhaps one of the very best ways to meet new friends is to join MeetUp.com. This online forum allows you to enter your city and interest to view endless numbers of “meetups” near you.

If you’re interested in doing some of the activities above, but want to make a friend to take first, consider using MeetUp.com to build a group of friends to do activities together.

Conclusion

Adjusting to a new city can be difficult, but always remember that you’re not alone! If you’re wondering, “How do I meet new friends?”, try some of the ideas in this article.

Be confident, be yourself, and be open to new social connections. Before you know it, you’ll feel settled in and establish genuine friendships with like-minded individuals.

Meetup Social Sites Friendship Heights

➡ Do you have any other tips for fun ways to meet new friends in a new city?

Share with us in the comments below!

Meetup Social Sites Friendship Ny