Making New Friends As An Adult
Making new friends as an adult can be surprisingly difficult. Once school ends, there are fewer situations where you automatically spend time with the same group of people every day.
The good news is that you don’t necessarily need to “go looking for friends.” A better approach is to find things you enjoy doing with other people and keep showing up.
Friendships are much more likely to develop when you see the same people repeatedly, have something in common, and have a natural reason to talk.
Here are plenty of places to start.
Creative Activities
Photography
Photo walks
Painting
Drawing
Pottery
Woodworking
Leatherworking
Sewing
Crafting
3D printing
Film making
Creative writing
Community theater
Improv
Open mic nights
Stand-up comedy
Art classes
Art walks
Makerspaces
Creative hobbies provide something to talk about immediately, which can make meeting new people considerably easier.
Games and Gaming
Board game nights
Dungeons & Dragons
Magic: The Gathering
Pokémon
Warhammer and miniature gaming
Video game tournaments
LAN parties
Retro gaming
Chess clubs
Trivia teams
Social deduction games
Escape rooms
Fantasy sports leagues
Pokémon Go groups
Local game stores, libraries, community centers, and online community groups are good places to look for recurring events.
Sports and Fitness
You don’t have to be particularly athletic. Beginner and recreational groups may actually be better for meeting people than highly competitive leagues.
Pickleball
Basketball
Softball
Soccer
Flag football
Volleyball
Tennis
Disc golf
Ultimate Frisbee
Bowling
Golf
Running clubs
Couch-to-5K groups
Cycling
Mountain biking
Hiking
Kayaking
Paddleboarding
Fishing
Rock climbing
Bouldering
Martial arts
Brazilian jiu-jitsu
Boxing
Kickboxing
Group fitness
Swimming
Cornhole leagues
Axe throwing
Look for recreational leagues rather than assuming you need to join a competitive team.
Technology & Making Things
If traditional social activities aren’t appealing, shared technical interests can provide a much easier entry point.
Coding groups
AI meetups
Robotics
Electronics
Arduino projects
Raspberry Pi projects
3D printing
Makerspaces
Hackathons
Game development
Web development
Drone groups
Amateur radio
Dance
Dance classes have one major advantage for someone hoping to become more social: interacting with other people is built into the activity.
Consider:
Salsa
Bachata
Swing
Line dancing
Ballroom
Country dancing
Shag
Beginner dance classes
You don’t need to know how to dance before attending a beginner class. That’s rather the point.
Music
Learn an instrument
Join a casual band
Open mic nights
Karaoke
Local concerts
Music festivals
Music trivia
Record collecting
Community music groups
Choirs
Jam sessions
Cars, Motorsports & Machines
Cars & Coffee events
Classic car shows
Car restoration groups
Automotive clubs
Motorcycle groups
Karting
Autocross
Sim racing
RC cars
RC aircraft
Drone groups
DIY mechanic classes
Automotive photography
Outdoors & Nature
Outdoor activities can be particularly comfortable for people who don’t enjoy traditional social events because conversation doesn’t have to be constant.
Hiking
Camping
Fishing
Kayaking
Paddleboarding
Mountain biking
Trail running
Geocaching
Birdwatching
Wildlife photography
Gardening
Community gardens
Foraging groups
Conservation projects
Trail maintenance
Orienteering
Astronomy
Stargazing
Volunteer
Volunteering can be one of the easiest ways to meet people because everyone already has a reason to be there and something to do together.
Consider volunteering with:
Animal shelters
Dog or cat rescues
Food pantries
Habitat organizations
Community events
Festivals
Parks
Environmental organizations
Trail cleanups
Museums
Historic preservation organizations
Community theaters
Veterans organizations
Senior programs
Disaster-response organizations
Disability organizations
Youth programs
Youth sports
Community outreach organizations
The key is consistency. Volunteering once can be a nice experience. Volunteering in the same place every week or every month gives you an opportunity to actually get to know people.
Learn Something
Taking a class gives you an immediate common interest with everyone else in the room.
Try learning:
A new language
Sign language
Cooking
Photography
Welding
Woodworking
Guitar
Piano
Coding
Web design
Artificial intelligence
3D printing
Public speaking
First aid
CPR
Emergency preparedness
Scuba diving
Motorcycle riding
Gardening
Home improvement
Community colleges, libraries, recreation departments and community centers often offer inexpensive classes.
Food & Social Activities
Trivia nights
Music bingo
Cooking classes
Baking classes
Restaurant meetups
Coffee tastings
Farmers markets
Food festivals
Food truck events
Supper clubs
International food groups
BBQ classes
Community dinners
Find a Community
Not every social group needs to revolve around a hobby.
Look for:
Young adult groups
Young professional organizations
Neighborhood groups
Community organizations
Faith communities
Cultural organizations
Alumni groups
Parent groups
Caregiver groups
Disability and neurodivergent communities
Peer-support communities
Book clubs
Men’s or women’s groups
Entrepreneurship groups
Professional associations
Networking groups
Online communities can also become real-world friendships when they have safe, organized local meetups.
Get Involved in Community
Check your local:
Library
Parks and recreation department
Community center
YMCA
Museums
Downtown association
Chamber of commerce
Volunteer organizations
Community college
Farmers market
Theater
Recreation leagues
Local Facebook groups
Meetup groups
Event calendars
You may be surprised by how much is happening within a short drive of home.
Try Something Different
Sometimes the activity you would never normally consider turns out to be the one where you find your people.
Geocaching
Ghost tours
Historical reenactment
Renaissance fairs
Metal detecting
Astronomy
Amateur radio
Pool or billiards
Darts
Cornhole
Collectible card trading
Vinyl collecting
Thrifting
Flea markets
Reselling
Community gardening
Pet fostering
Dog walking groups
BBQ competitions
Drone photography
Fishing tournaments
Disc golf
Movie clubs
Sci-fi and fantasy groups
Entrepreneurship meetups
Don’t Make “Finding Friends” the Assignment
Walking into a room thinking, “I need to make a friend tonight,” puts an enormous amount of pressure on an ordinary social interaction.
Try a different goal:
Find three places you wouldn’t mind going back to.
You don’t have to become the most outgoing person in the room. You don’t have to introduce yourself to everyone. And you certainly don’t have to transform your personality.
Just participate.
Then go back.
And go back again.
Friendship often develops through familiarity.
Someone recognizes you.
You remember someone’s name.
You end up on the same team.
Someone saves you a seat.
Eventually, somebody asks whether you’re coming next week.
That’s often how a social circle begins.
Try a 30-Day Social Experiment
Instead of attempting to completely change your social life, give yourself one month.
Choose:
- One recurring activity based on something you already enjoy.
- One physical or outdoor activity that gets you out of the house.
- One volunteer opportunity involving something you care about.
- One wildcard that you’ve never tried before.
Give each activity more than one chance whenever possible.
The goal isn’t to collect as many new friends as possible.
It’s to put yourself in places where friendship has an opportunity to happen.
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