In this day and age, we are all caught up in our screens, mainly focusing on the virtual life.
And although it seems like we have hundreds of friends on the social platforms, that’s not a real social circle.
When’s the last time someone you know from the online world has been meeting you in person when you needed socialization?
Yes, Tinder and Bumble can help us get in contact with strangers, but it’s rare that we actually form new friendships that are functional through those apps.
People forgot the importance of a local socialization.
We live in neighborhoods where do don’t know the people down the street, but we have online friendships with people from other continents.
If you feel like you are alone in your city, then you will benefit from the tips and tricks of these following paragraphs.
The best advice to meet people while walking around
When you’re in a new city, is ok not to have a social life at first.
But creating a social structure is not only fun, but also helpful for our mental health.
The human is a social animal and it needs connections to keep the mind healthy.
The healthiest way of meeting people is through direct interaction.
That might seem like a nightmare for an introvert, but in this article, you will learn the basic social skills that will help you making friends in real life.
Here is the best advice to meet people while walking around your town.
The first thing you should do is take a walk around the neighborhood.
Even though you might feel like a stranger, you are surrounded by potential friends.
And it’s always good to know your neighbors.
Neighborship was an important aspect of our lives up until the past decades.
People needed to help each other in their day to day lives.
This social networking is built in our DNA even since we used to live in tribes.
Also, it’s really easy to strike up a conversation with your neighbors.
You won’t feel that social anxiety that might pop up when you talk to a complete stranger.
If you find it hard to go our and meet total strangers, a walk around the neighborhood and some small talk with your neighbors will be the perfect training for trying to make new friends in other places.
Another great place where you can meet local people is the main square of your town, of if you live in a bigger city, the nearest little square in your neighborhood.
That’s usually the place for meetups for local events.
You should always keep an eye on the public social events.
Every town has get-togethers.
No matter if it’s a concert, a BBQ, or a charity fundraiser, the locals are always welcoming newcomers.
Another great tip is always to get involved in local protests and citizen’s actions.
The best friendships happen when the people are getting together to work on a community issue.
The local volunteer opportunities are also never to be missed.
Joining the Facebook groups of the neighborhood will keep you up to date with all the get-together opportunities that will arise locally.
Meeting people can be like a walk in the park if you take a walk in the park.
Especially on Sunday afternoons, the local park will be filled with people who are chilling and ready to make new friends.
Make sure you look around to see who is approachable.
For example, if you see a couple playing frisbee, don’t get involved.
Maybe they’re on a date and you don’t want to be an unsolicited third wheel.
But if you come across a group of three guys doing the same, you can go there, say hello and ask if you can join them.
I know it might seem hard at first to talk to a stranger, but if you’ve been exposing yourself in social situation with your neighbors, the nervousness you feel when you talk to strangers will diminish.
And probably the best way to find new friends, if you are a more active person, is on the hiking trail around your town.
It’s a great way of meeting people with common interests.
There’s something about people that makes them more sociable when they are surrounded by nature.
You will have to introduce yourself to other hikers and ask if you can join them on the hike.
It might seem crazy, but people are always welcoming new members in their hiking parties, especially the experienced ones, because everybody knows you shouldn’t hike alone.
You can do this with lone hikers too, and you will be making both a favor.
To meet new people and get acquaintances with them, you have to overcome your shyness.
If you want to meet some friends, say yes when they ask you out for dinner or suggest any places to meet.
If you’re trying to make friends, then you should not avoid social situations.
Finding friends is always easy even for introverts, but to meet someone you need to start a conversation.
If you have social phobia, then first you need to overcome this awkwardness and then talk to people and make eye contact with them.
In all these situations, you should try and make the best first impression.
One of the most important things to consider is to always be sober when interacting with strangers.
I know some people who feel really sociable after a drink or two.
Unless you’re not in a dive bar, you shouldn’t go introducing yourself to strangers while smelling of alcohol.
And the most important aspect when meeting new people is to make sure you find ways to stay in touch.
You can’t form new friendships just by hanging out whenever you come across each other in the park or around the neighborhood.
Ask for their contacts to meet and hang out in the future.
It’s really not hard to form a new friendship.
Making new friends in the adult life seems harder because we don’t have playdates anymore, in which we get to interact with others.
We’re all caught up in our jobs and daily lives, and the reason we don’t meet new friends is mostly because we don’t try to.
So, if you want to start meeting people, all you have to do is try.
Not anyone might be interested in making a new friend, but if you introduce yourself to at least two new people a day, I can guarantee that in a week you will increase your social network significantly.
Get out there and socialize!
