Making new friends as an adult is hard. Especially if you’re an introvert.
Growing up, I was a shy child. I hardly spoke in my classes. While I had friends, I was also reserved with them. It takes time for me to warm up to new people.
Now that I’m in college, I have had more practice socializing but I still identify as an introvert and have some social anxiety. This makes putting myself out there challenging. Inviting people out is nearly impossible—what if they say no?—and I sometimes decline invitations from friends when I overthink them. At the same time, having some close friendships is one of the best parts of life, and there have been times I felt I was missing out when I had good news I wanted to share with someone or saw groups of friends hanging out in public. Making friends became a priority for me.
Friendship? There’s an app for that!
The idea to join Meetup came to me during a night I spent watching reality television during the pandemic. The stars of the show were talking about dating people they met online. I figured, if there are dating apps, then maybe there are friendship apps. A quick search on the App Store led me to Meetup.
I got started by creating a free profile and then finding Meetup groups to join that matched my interests, knowing it would take a while to get the confidence to attend an event. I prefer groups that are geared toward women and one of the groups I admire the most, a Girls Night Out group, posted an invitation to an event in my hometown, which was perfect for me because I don’t have a car. The event that caught my eye was a brunch at a restaurant I’d been wanting to try: I knew this event was the best way to kick off my official Meetup experience.
Making friends over brunch
As nervous as I was, I had the best time. I met six incredible women who shared interesting stories. We had fantastic discussions about our lives, travels, careers, and interests. The venue was beautiful and cozy, a perfect backdrop to have stimulating conversations while noshing on some tasty bites. This successful first event inspired me to attend another Meetup event with this Girls Night Out group soon—I’m also excited to join groups for my other interests and attend their events.
My advice to any adult who is looking for new friends is to get out there with Meetup. Most people who are dating use websites and apps to make connections. Making friends online is not that different. As hard as it is to make new friends as an adult, it’s profoundly easier when you share something in common with someone you meet. That’s the beauty of this app. There are wonderful people in Meetup groups near you who you probably would not meet otherwise. Take the leap and push yourself out of your comfort zone. Sometimes, something special can start with brunch!
Brianna Stryker is a writer, teacher, and college student born and raised in New Jersey. See more of her writing on Medium.
Last modified on June 28, 2023
