It might seem that making friends in a new city is truly a hard piece of work, according to surveys reporting that three out of five Americans are lonely even without embarking on a journey such as cross-country moving. Having “no one gets me” as your final destination surely is not worth all the effort of turning your life upside down. You didn’t pack your entire life into boxes just for that. The goal is to find ways to connect with others on a more intimate level, to build social support you suddenly lack and have meaningful interactions in your daily activities.
Starting from scratch can be tricky and scary, but it’s also exciting when you know how to meet new people in a new city. That’s why we’re here to help you prepare and cope better with your adjustment process. If scared, do not worry because it’s normal to feel like that. Yet again, be sure you keep on reading, and we promise you’ll handle a new place like a local.
Things To Do Before You Move
Before the time to move comes, there are many things to do to reduce the relocation stress that might accompany you for quite some time. If you notice there might be the slightest chance to see a familiar face once you’re in a new town, don’t miss it. Put it on your moving to-do list and search your way through it. Even though most of your time will go on hiring movers to help with their professional packing and other moving services, preparatory steps are much broader than that. Joining online groups for newcomers on Facebook and other social media can be a life-saver, too, when it comes to long-distance moving.
It's important to prepare before setting your foot on an unfamiliar ground
A Friend of a Friend Is a Friend of Mine
The truth is you are moving away from the ones you love, but things are not so black and white as they seem. They will keep on supporting you even though you’re far away and ensure you move safely to the other side. Getting a few contacts may be easier than you think because some of them might already have connections in the place you just moved to. Potential acquaintances will encourage you and be one of your many reasons to move. If nothing else, your old pals will be the best ones to advise you on making friends in a new state when things seem hard.
Learn To Say Yes
If on a mission to build friendships and improve your social life, this one is a must. Accepting any invitation that goes your way is almost inevitable, at least until getting the chance to experience things you’ll call your routine. With “no” as an answer, settling down might be a very lonely business.
Reaching out to your pals is always a good idea
Mobile Apps Are Always There to Help
How do you make new friends in a new city is not a simple question, but luckily technology nowadays can be quite useful to figure out an answer. Of course, it’s good to have Facebook on hand, but it’s not the only service that can help you connect with others from the comfort of your home. Give Meetup a try, and, who knows, maybe you’ll meet your bestie during some of the events sent to all of you who share the same interests.
To discover some of the greatest apps for making friends, check out the video below and google-search which one suits you best.
Bonding With Your Neighbors
As your closest surrounding, a neighborhood is a good starting point and the most accessible place to learn how to make friends in a new city. Being friendly and polite will spare you the struggle, and showing actual interest to be around will make it all come naturally. Remember that leaving it to “Have a nice day” certainly won’t do any wonders.
Making Friends in a New City – Throw a Housewarming Party
Once you finally start settling down and you get an idea of your surroundings, inviting the folks and throwing a party is your best chance to get to know them a bit better. When wondering how do I make friends in my new neighborhood, keep in mind that people generally love a chance to open up. Needless to say, the easiest way to do it is while having fun. If moving with kids, take this as an opportunity to reach out to other parents and make the transition smoother for the whole family.
Give Your Best to Organize Community Events in Your Neighborhood
When moving to a small town, mingling is not only the best time to pal up but to keep loneliness at bay, as well. So you know what you have to do. Positive vibes within the community are most welcome, whether they are about organizing doorstep drinks or something even more involving as garage sales, charity events, and micro art festivals. Boosting your neighbors by bringing a positive change will surely make an environment for some friendships.
A neighborhood is your nearest support system - give it a chance to get to know you
Don’t Be Scared to Initiate a Conversation With Your Co-Workers
Both women and men crave intimacy equally, but the way they seek it might be a bit different. Suppose you are wondering how do guys make friends in a new city. Some of the most common ways they resort to are breaking the working barrier and joining professional networking groups, especially if they’re relocating an office. Knowing how to be more accessible at work is essential, and a company itself sometimes makes it easier for everyone by organizing different team-building activities. However, a bit of bravery will also do, so keep your confidence as your packing list essential.
Developing positive relationships at work can take a while, but it's how you build connections
Look for Different Cultural and Art Local Events
Events in the open, such as music, food, and art festivals, are the answer to how do you create a social circle in a new city while having the best time of your life. You can probably look for the events calendar on the town’s official website and various social media out there. It’s much easier to find someone you’d like to hang out with during communal activities like these, when talking to the person next to you is so simple and joyful.
Approach Your Local Community in Different Ways
Deciding where to live was not that hard because you didn’t know what it means to find yourself in an unknown place back then. You were breaking your head over packing your fragile items and the inevitable move-out cleaning. But now, when discovering an unfamiliar land, you understand it’s crucial to approach it from many different angles. Chances to meet someone come in all shapes and sizes, so the more events you find interesting, the bigger the possibility you’ll befriend someone. Using apps like Nearfy are great ways to stay informed and curious about things to come.
There's no chance you'll stand alone in a place full of people
Sign up for a Class You’re Passionate About
This is one of our all-time favorite moving hacks, so don’t be shy to use it. It proved to be genuinely beneficial, and how could it not be with places full of people who love the same things just as much as you do? Craft classes, dancing, photography, martial arts, creative writing… There are no limits when it comes to pursuing your passion. For each newcomer, this is undoubtedly a good base for at least an interesting conversation. If you are wondering how to meet friends in a new city, this is the answer. Maybe a discussion about ways to pack paintings might grow into a lot more than that.
Join a Gym or Sign Up for Any Recreational Sport
This is a perfect moment to remind you that many social circles are built around sport and exercising. Maybe future BFFs are stretching next to your yoga mat, or perhaps that curly girl who’s always in front of you at a workout class also just moved into town. There’s no one magic formula to find out, but an invitation for a drink after class will do the trick.
Or Head to a Book Club
If you could spend all that time figuring out how to quickly pack the whole pile of your favorite books collected over the years, now you can also take some of it to share your love for reading by joining a book club. There are probably many of those around, with random persons who’d enjoy discussing this or that title with you.
Continue taking up your hobbies because when you share an activity with somebody you're also sharing yourself
Taking Your Dog Out Is a Good Chance to Meet Somebody
Deciding to move with your pets to a new state might be the best decision ever made. Not only your furry companion will be there in times when you need a friend the most, but they might be helpful when it comes to building connections, as well, especially when moving with a dog. Taking him for a walk is a perfect opportunity to meet all those outdoor enthusiasts who share a love for animals. Take the leash and head to the nearby park.
Love for animals is a guarantee for many future gatherings
Don’t Miss a Farmer’s Market
Visiting a farmer’s market is so much more than talking to people, even though this one you certainly won’t be missing. Healthy food, local producers, community support are all benefits of a single visit. Not to mention the neighbors and some of the unfamiliar, sweet faces you’ll have an opportunity to meet and chat with.
When crowded with quality stuff, no doubt there are some quality people around, as well
Volunteering Is a Win-Win Solution
Giving back to the community is the noblest way to get to know it better and build friendships along the way. There are different websites where you can find local volunteer openings, but starting with Volunteer Match and Create the Good will certainly lead you to many people who share similar values and passions.
Help others, but help yourself, too
Putting Yourself Out There Is the Right Way of Making Friends in a New City
Yup, making friends implies so much, and it will be challenging, for sure, but don’t let your head hang low. Let the new home be the same playground as the one when you were a kid. Even if you’re maybe not quite sure where to start, don’t be afraid to be open to it absolutely and to put yourself out there. Growing out of the discomfort and walking up to someone means being closer to one of the greatest joys in life – a new friendship.
