It’s hard moving to a new location where you don’t know anyone.
On top of moving all of your household goods, making a change of address with the post office, changing your billing on all of your accounts, the last thing you want to have to think about after relocating is having to make new friends.
Whether you’re moving with your job or relocating on your own or with family, you’re going to want to start creating a circle of friends in your new location. Those bonds can help you cope with the unknown of being in a foreign place.
Here are some tried and true ways to make new friends and meet new people in your new city:
This may sound a little obvious, but usually when you’re in a new place, there’s comfort being surrounded inside with your items that are familiar to you.
But getting out and about and exploring your new destination is a key part of relocating. Find events, going to farmer’s markets, trying out a new restaurant, or simply taking a walk at a local park could bring you face to face with many other people just like you.
If you’ve just made a domestic move, connect with your current friends to see if they can introduce you to people they know in your new location. Ask your friends to post on their social media page or try and connect over a quick lunch or coffee.
Sometimes all you want to do is relax and take in your new home. Investing a lot of time and energy may not be at the top of your list right after your move. However, sometimes it’s best to keep the momentum going so that you don’t wind up locking yourself away and not taking advantage of what your location has to offer.
If you moved to your new location with your dog, GREAT! If not, maybe it’s time to think about getting a furry companion. Walking your dog in city parks or going to dog parks are great ways to befriend other dog owners and meet new people. Consider downloading “Meet My Dog” – a social networking app for other dog owners. Having a dog is a great way to keep in shape as well!
Moving to a new city can be tough, not to mention having to go out and find people that are interested in the same things as you. Facebook Groups have been revamped and there are so many out there for pretty much any sort of hobby or interested out there.
Go to the top of the search bar in your app and select groups to refine your results. Use the name of your new location or city so that you can get local results. Are you a new mom? Do you love crafts? Looking for a dog walking group? Search for it and start meeting new people!
If you are a world traveler or have moved from one side of the United States to another, you’ll find that cultures and events can be different from city to city, state to state and certainly country to country. Get out to a local cultural event and you’ll be pleasantly surprised at the amount of people you could meet.
Having a hard time finding an event check out Meetup? Meetup is a platform for finding and building local communities. People use Meetup to meet new people, learn new things, find support, get out of their comfort zones, and pursue their passions, together.
People are creatures of comfort, they stick to what they know. Making new friends takes effort, and sometimes without realizing it, people aren’t so open to having someone new come into their lives. But none of that should stop you from trying to create a social circle for yourself.