How to Meet People in a New City

Often, the most challenging part about moving to a new city is finding a new circle of friends you can count on. Today, we’ll walk you through different ways to meet people in a new city, including some options for these social-distancing days. 

Let’s get to it! 

A quick guide on how to meet people in a new city 

1. Volunteer 

What’s better than making friends? Making friends while making a difference. There are many ways in which you can sign up for volunteering. It could be through a local church, food pantry, or even through programs at your office. If you’ve volunteered before, see if the organization you worked with before is also in your new city. If they’re not, maybe it’s an opportunity to start your own branch! 

2. Join an online forum or group 

Connecting with people online is social-distancing proof and comes with several added bonuses. For one, you can join these groups and start to meet new people before even moving to your new city. Forums and groups also allow you to get in touch with specific people, people who already share your interests, live in the same area as you, and are also willing to connect or hang out. 

Online forums can also come in handy when looking for jobs, apartments, or to get advice on how to navigate your new home. 

3. Sign up for a class 

Even for the shyest of us, classes are comfortable spaces to make friends. You have a built-in topic of conversation and the possibility to be paired up with other classmates you can talk to. If you’ve moved to a city where you don’t speak the local language, taking a course on it will also ensure you meet other people from out of town.  

4.  Join a sports team 

If you enjoy sports, your athletic hobby can also help you meet people in a new city. Similar to signing up for a class, you can join a sports team through your local club. Being part of a sports team is a great way to foster a sense of community and, of course, get a workout.  

Although a gym could have a similar function, most people just come and go from the gym without really stopping to talk. In a sports team, you’ll have a reason to interact with other people. 

Even during times of social distancing, sports teams will usually have a set of guidelines they can follow to ensure you can mingle and get some exercise while decreasing the risk. 

5. Download a meet-up app 

While online forums are great for connecting with people, there isn’t an immediate need to turn the connection into a social outing. But no need to worry. This is the 21^st century after all. Meet-up apps allow you to browse through a list of events available in your area. You can even create your own or join a virtual hangout.  

This type of app can come in handy at any point. For example, if there’s a concert coming up you really want to go to but have no one to go with, you can join a meet-up group for that. And, again, don’t be discouraged if you can’t find exactly what you’re looking for. Create an event, and like-minded people will come find you! 

6. Be yourself 

The best way to meet new people in a new city is to stay true to yourself. Often, we latch on to the first person we cross paths with out of a sense of urgency without really considering that person’s possible impact on your life.  

As you’ve seen, there are many ways to make friends in a new city, so make sure you’re picking social outings you feel comfortable with and surrounding yourself with people who will help you feel at home as quickly as possible. 

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