Can we... be friends

1. Invite a group of strangers to your house (I know, a pretty red hot first option).

Recently, one of our team members posted on her local community Facebook Group offering to host and cook for 10 fellow crafters (think knitters, sewers, stitchers). Over 100 people commented and two weeks later, the first 10 climbed the stairs and into her apartment. Not a single person bailed. No one did any craft either. They were too busy laughing! Now they gather monthly, and attend trivia and sporting games too.

“Making the first step and looking like an idiot was a small price to pay. If no one responded, I’m sure someone would have posted about dog poo or ‘free moving boxes’ within minutes” she told us. “It’s better in a group, too. The shy people have time to get more comfortable with the social dynamic.”

2. Slide into the DMs

Okay, maybe a rogue suggestion, but if you’re the type to follow a bunch of randoms on social media, and you have a few internet ‘relationships’ where you mutually like each other’s posts, we recommend shooting them a message.

Of course, practice due diligence. But this is a great way to meet people in the modern age. (The team member above met her partner this way so hey, maybe you’ll find love?)

3. Join a club

There are bush dance meetups and chess clubs and board game nights and Jane Austen societies. You only need to look for them (Google it! Scour through Facebook Groups! Go to your IGA’s community notice board!).

It takes courage to attend these things, especially on your own. But guaranteed the group will be enthused to see you and if not, it’s an awkward 2 hours you can laugh about later.

4. Be a plus 1

We all have that friend who is overly popular. They seem to be out every night at dinners and drinks and events and sporting games. They have an unending supply of friends to call upon for entertainment.

If you’re free on a Thursday night and you want something to do, see if you can tag along with them. Go to the gig of the musician you’ve never heard of. Go to the house party where you know nobody. Exercise those social muscles.

5. Just ask

This requires vulnerability. Admitting to someone you’d like to be their friend feels a little… shameful sometimes. We don’t want the other person to think we haven’t got any, or that there’s something wrong with us.

But with the data showing so many people being lonely, you’re bound to find someone who will say yes. And if they say no, in the way we all fear, well, rejection is a good lesson to learn. And you probably don’t want to be mates with someone who overtly rejects an earnest and kind attempt to befriend them anyway.