Volunteering is a fantastic way to do a little good in the community, and meet other volunteers at the same time.
Often, it can be easier to connect with people when connecting isn’t the sole reason for interacting with them. When you have a shared reason for being around each other, connection can happen naturally.
Kicking and punching your way to friendship!
There’s something about physical activity that help people break the ice in social situations. My hunch is that people are too tired to feel nervous.
Could be Tae Bo (kidding) Zumba, CrossFit, HIIT classes, or anything else that gets the blood pumping. 5-10 minutes before or after class is going to be the best time to talk to people.
I was a competitive runner for 10 years, and running groups are a great place to meet new people.
Many running groups will have people at all skill levels, so don’t worry about slowing down the group if you’re just getting into running.
After a few meetings, you’ll be going out for beer and tacos soon enough!
My wife and I took swing dancing classes for a couple of years and it was fun learning new moves.
Most mid-size cities have dance events where people get together and dance the night away!
Cooking classes are a great way to level up your cooking skills, and meet new people at the same time!
Feel like getting outside?
Hiking clubs are great for exploring the great outdoors, breaking a sweat, and meeting new people who are also into nature!
Ah, yoga class! It’s a very chill way to spend a Friday night. If it’s your first time going, be sure to stay behind after class for a few minutes and start some conversations with the instructor and some fellow students!
Maybe you want to level up your doodles to drawings, or you just want to paint and sip wine. Either way, art classes are a great place to meet new people who are fun and creative.
This one is a go-to there are 1,000s of meetups on every conceivable topic.
Keep in mind that it can be a little bit of a process to find a Meetup that you LOVE. (Some meetups just aren’t a fit)
A rule I picked up from a reader: “I’ll go to anything once, just to see if I like it.” This is the best mindset to have as you meet new people.
Board games. More than squabbling with your Dad who wants to lend you Monopoly money at 5% interest after you landed on Boardwalk AGAIN.
There are a bunch of board game meetups that range from simple to complex. Most meetups will have a theme or BYOB (Bring your own board) options.
Don’t sleep on this one.
If your neighborhood has events, great! If not, take some walks around your neighborhood and stop and chat with your neighbors!
You might be into reading and sharing your interpretations of books! This is a fantastic place to meet new people because you already have something to talk about. (the book!)
Check out local bookstores for readings. Be sure to stick around and meet the author and other people who enjoy their work!
This is another tip to not sleep on.
Be sure to say “yes” to as many invites as possible when you’re trying to meet new people.
Invites lead to more invites, so if you’re at a new job and someone invites you out to drinks with your coworkers: SAY YES!
Putting yourself in social situations is half the battle of being more social.
Plus, you’re much more likely to get invites in the future if you say yes today.
I’m a well documented cat person, but for those people who enjoy having a pet actually love you unconditionally, I hear dog parks are great places to meet new people. “Which one’s yours?” is basically the last conversation starter you’ll need at the dog park.
Pro tip: My town has something called a Bark Bar…it’s a bar where you can bring your pup. Maybe your city has one too. It’s probably in the trendy area of town.
Have a niche interest? Live in a tiny rural town? Online/Reddit subs are a great option to meet new people.
Over time, you can even FaceTime them and deepen the relationship. I know plenty of people who met great friends online years before they met them in real life. Just remember to be patient!
Oh boy! Trivia night! A great way to test your knowledge of obscure geography after your second beer! Also, a great way to meet new people who aren’t on a trivia team of join an existing one.
Museum openings, walking tours, interesting speakers, art exhibits, these are fun ways to meet new people who are out exploring their city (just like you are)
If you’re into beer and want to learn more about how it’s brewed, hit up a beer tasting event or a brewery tour in your city.
Chances are, there are some cool local breweries in your town.
Years ago, I even helped a local brewery bottle their beer for an afternoon. They paid me in beer…which was great for a 21 year old me.
You don’t have to be an aspiring SNL cast member to have a good time meeting new people at an improv class.
Silly situations, spur-of-the-moment topics and learning how to “yes and…” your way to making people laugh is a great way to push your comfort zone and hopefully meet some fun people along the way.
A few years ago, my wife joined a kickball league, she had a great time meeting new people at games.
If you’re a athletic person who likes a little friendly competition, joining an adult sports league could be a great option to find new people to hang with.
Not just for handing out business cards and talking up the 10 year vision for your career.
The secret to “networking” is being human, and having good conversations with people.
The more people you have conversations with, the higher the chance is that you’ll meet new people that you really hit it off with!
In a similar vein as networking event, conferences can be fantastic places to meet new people. I especially like traveling to new places to go to conferences that focus on topics that I’m interested in.
Mandatory pro-tip: The conference isn’t over at 5 PM! Make sure to go to local bars/restaurants with other attendees. This is where the real fun of conferences is to be had.
Polishing up your public speaking skills, and meeting new people who are doing the same, what’s not to like? As with other places to meet new people, be sure to stay after for 5-10 minutes to introduce yourself to some people.
This is a fun one that many people write-off. Will you end up meeting the love of your life at a speed dating event?
Maybe.
What’s more likely is that you’ll have a bunch of short conversations in rapid order with new people.
Part of improving your people skills is practicing, and speed dating is a great way to practice your conversation skills.
Ah apps! Bumble BFF is a uber-convenient way to meet new people.
Create an account, upload a picture, and fill out your interests and profile and get to swiping. If you match with someone, you’ll have a limited amount of time to make the first move.
Pro-tip: Get good candid pictures rather than the classic dead-pan straight on shot that most people do.
This one’s a little broad, but if you’re into self-development, finding a group that meets regularly can be a great way to meet new people who are constantly trying to stay motivated and improve.
Last year, my wife and I started learning American Sign Language (ASL) and she started an ASL meetup group where people could come, have lunch and practice their skills.
If you’re into learning a new language, this is a fantastic way to meet new people and improve your language skills at the same time! Win/win!
This is another low-key awesome way to meet new people. Find a restaurant that you love, and sit at the bar and have dinner there a couple of nights per week. You’ll meet the bartender, staff, and people hanging out nearby.
Pro tip: If you’re feeling a little nervous about going out alone. Bring a book and read it casually at the bar. (Meaning taking frequent breaks from reading to sip your drink, eat some food, etc.)
People will ask you what you’re reading. This is an easy way for other people to start conversations with you.
Super underrated tip here. If you’ve met a friend of a friend a few times, reach out to them and ask them if they want to grab some coffee.
Making friends doesn’t mean you have to start from zero! Since you already have connections in common, it’s easier to break the ice and get the conversation started!
Pro tip: When asking people to hang out, it’s important to keep the ask low-pressure and give them an option to decline. Saying “We should grab some coffee sometime” and adding “If that doesn’t work for you, that’s totally cool, I’m sure I’ll see you around!”
This is another under-the-radar place to meet new people. Many cities that have over…say…150K population have a subreddit.
This can be a great way to get local recommendations for things to do from people that you may not have heard of.
And there are usually new people who are moving to town that are looking for people to hang out with!
Pro-tip for US folks Here’s a list of a bunch of US city subreddits
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But what about starting conversations?
“All this sounds good, but HOW the f-ck do I start conversations when I’m at these places, Jeff?!”
Don’t worry, I got you—check this post on starting conversations out.