If you take a foreign language, join the French, Spanish or German clubs. You will not only meet new friends, but have people to practice your language skills with! Try out band. School bands are pretty large, offering a wide base of potential friends, and there are so many different instruments you are bound to find one you enjoy playing. If you like to sing, join the glee club or show choir. Do you like to convince others of your opinions? Try out the debate club. Not only will you meet people at your school, but also can attend debate competitions and meet kids from other schools like yourself. For adults, your city no doubt has dance troupes, singing groups, bands that need new members, and other opportunities for meeting new people in your area.
Try out soccer, baseball or tennis teams at your school. If your school doesn’t have the sport you most enjoy, look for neighborhood leagues. Most cities have local groups that meet to practice and play more casual sports, like Ultimate Frisbee or volleyball. Look in the local paper, city website, or do a web search on a particular sport in your city. If you are a woman, you might look for roller derby teams in your city. This is a contact sport, so is not for the timid. It also can be pricey to join, but is lots of fun and will introduce you to a whole group of new women. [3] X Research source
Lots or organizations offer free or cheap classes to attract new clients. Look in the local paper or online for opportunities. Some places allow you to attend classes or demonstrations for free if you volunteer to help set-up or clean-up afterwards.
Look in the local paper or local cultural website to find lists of events in your area. Check out bulletin boards at coffee shops and eateries for more local events. Colleges usually have posting boards on campus where local events and meetings may be advertised.
Animal shelters always need help, as do homeless shelters and food banks. Find an organization that plants trees or cleans up public parks if you are into helping the environment. Volunteer to read to kids or visit retirement homes. Check out your local hospital for volunteer needs too.
In the summertime, you can lifeguard or work at an event company helping to plan large, special events like concerts and festivals. Get a job at a local hobby store to meet others with similar interests. Gaming stores, sporting goods stores and craft/art stores are great places to find others that like to do the same things you do. Find work at a mom-and-pop restaurant or eatery where locals hang out. You will likely meet others from your own neighborhood whom you haven’t had a chance to get to know yet.
Try LinkedIn to make professional friends. Pinterest is great for finding people with similar interests, like crafting or cooking. Join online groups for games you like to play, like World of Warcraft or Minecraft. Find Facebook groups for local religious meetings, informal sports teams, or activists. Post on the group’s page regularly to let everyone get to know you a bit more.
After class, ask the person next to you, “What did you think of that lesson/test/discussion?” In Spanish club, ask another person for a recommendation on the best tapas restaurant in your area. Or ask if they know a place you can go together to practice speaking Spanish with native speakers. At a concert, ask your neighbor, “Have you seen this band before?” or ask for recommendations of similar groups they listen to that you might also like. During practice for team sports or activities, ask a new acquaintance for tips on performing better. It’s okay if your conversation doesn’t really pan out. What matters is that you tried![11] X Expert Source Christy Irvine, PhDLicensed Clinical Psychologist Expert Interview. 9 April 2021.
Smile with your whole face, not just your lips. Practice in a mirror if you aren’t a naturally smiley person to make sure you can tell you are smiling just by looking at your eyes. Be genuine when you smile, not fake. It helps to be comfortable in your surroundings, which is why it is important to only seek out activities and groups you have a genuine interest in.
Aim to listen to them at least three times as much as you speak. But don’t neglect to answer questions they ask you, too! When it’s your turn to speak, offer insight into your personality or interests to give them a glimpse of who you are as a person.
If they say no, don’t give up, but also avoid pushing a “friend-date. ” Wait until the next time you speak to invite them to a different outing. Not everyone will want to hang out outside of the group you both attend. That’s ok! There are other people there too, so try a different person next time.
Know the difference between forgiving and forgetting. It’s always best to let go of negativity, but it’s important to remember lessons learned from past experiences so you know better who to trust in the future. Give everyone a chance to show you what they can offer, regardless of whether they have different religious or political beliefs than most people you know. You don’t have to agree with these beliefs, but you might still learn from them.
If you find yourself feeling negatively towards your friend, re-focus your attention on their good qualities instead. Reflect the positive things about them back to themselves, instead of the negative ones. Instead of chastising your friend for not showing up for plans, remind them how much fun you have when you are together and that you want to have more of those good times.
If one friend is gossiping about another, say something positive about the third party, like “She is really smart, though,” or “I don’t know much about [what you are saying], but he’s always been there for me. ” Gossiping is often a sign of envy and a negative self-image. If you have friends that spend a lot of time talking about others, you may want to evaluate whether these are people you want to hang around.
They will likely be there for you when you need help in return, and will appreciate the self-sacrifice you made for their benefit. [14] X Research source Be careful not to spread yourself too thin, though! Don’t say “yes” to something you know you don’t have time to really help with, or to anything you feel uncomfortable participating in.
Honesty leads to trust, so it’s a very important aspect of your personality to offer to your friends. Don’t agree to do things you have no interest in or don’t think you can handle.
Try not to cancel plans unless you have an emergency, especially at the last minute. Everyone has to cancel once in a while, but make this the exception and not the rule. Write plans on a calendar or add reminders to your smartphone so you don’t forget!
You can always change what you do or how you behave, but not your basic personality or moral beliefs. If someone wants to you change your beliefs or act against your moral fiber, they are not someone you need or want to be friends with.
