You’ve just moved to a new town, found a great place, and managed to hang a few pictures. Relocating and moving to a new city and meeting new people is fun yet challenging. If you moved for different career opportunities, the office isn’t your whole life. To meet new people in a new city is simple if you naturally say hi to strangers but to make friends in a new city you must be creative. Here are some ideas to help you make friends and settle in to enjoy the bright lights of the new city.
Make the Most of Your Commute
If you commute by train or subway get to the station a few minutes early one morning and grab a free paper. In most cities, you can find the City Paper at the entrance to stations. During your commute check the listings for free events: lectures, gallery openings, and political meetings. This is a great way to meet people and get free food!
Also, use your commute time to check with your college’s local alumni group or peruse Facebook for groups in the city that match your interests. And to feel connected to friends and family send messages to them. A warm greeting from an old friend makes a Monday morning so much better.
Get Into the Groove
If you live where winter still means cold and ice head indoors for exercise. Visit different athletic clubs and find out if they offer free trial membership. Don’t settle for the first place you visit. Go to work out a few times and see if there are people your age. If the gym has a juice bar, have a drink with a few people, see if they’re nice and share your interests in movies or music. By visiting a few clubs, you’ll get to know the different neighborhoods and if you stretch it you can work out the whole winter for free!
Do Covet Your Neighbors
It’s important to get to know your neighbors. It’s good to know that if you have a sudden emergency you can call someone for help. Ask a neighbor what their favorite cafe is and offer to take them out. Be honest, mention that you’d like to meet people. Do they know anyone who works in your field or attended your university? Don’t break the bank. Ask if there is a place for weekend deals.
Lend a Hand
In your former city did you volunteer at a food bank or an animal shelter? How about a local charity organization? Don’t know where to start? Check out Volunteer Match for ideas and places around you. There are many organizations that are looking for people like you and these are ideal places to meet people who are kind and thoughtful.
Make friends at work
Think about how you jumped at this job and this will motivate you to leap off your chair and into a dynamic environment. You pursued this position aggressively, you’re making your monthly goals, and now is the time to build a life outside of work. Find local places with 2-for-1 deals and treat someone to lunch. Go out after work and show what you’ve learned about your new digs by suggesting the place with the best music and happy hour deal.
Book Yourself a Friend
At the local library check the bulletin board. It’s packed with fliers listing different events and groups. Are there book clubs that fit your interests? Discussions about books usually come with coffee and cookies.
Get a friend for your furry friend
If your lease permits pets, get a small dog and head to the local park. Fluffy will break the ice for you when she leaps at another dog. This will naturally lead to introducing yourself to someone with a similar breed.
What makes a different city great and your new apartment better is meeting new friends and inviting them over for an evening of coffee and a lot of laughter. Don’t think that you’ll always be alone before you know it, you won’t be shy anymore and your schedule will be filled with spending time with your new friends. With all these suggestions, you can overcome loneliness and are going to really love moving to a new town! Just don’t get so caught up in all the fun that you forget to go to work!