Okay, listen: When Charlotte said “Maybe we can be each other’s soul mates, and we can let men be these great, nice guys to have fun with,” she was really on to something.
Ladies, we don’t need hinge, tinder, or bumble (well we actually do need bumble, and I’ll explain why later) because our perfect match are our BFFs. #facts. We all want our #satc girl squad, but let’s face it, making friends as adults is seriously hard af.
If you’re crying in the club because you haven’t found your people yet, I’ve got you, bestie because ya know, sharing is caring, right? Or is it caring is sharing? Either way, here’s how to make friends as a 20 or 30 something.
How To Make Friends
1. Introduce Yourself To A Girl At An Eventbrite Event
CHALLENGE: Go to an event on Eventbrite, and then strike up a conversation with a girl who seems friendly. I know, I know, it sounds scary, awkward AF, and even complicated, but trust the process.
We all know the saying “If you believe, you can achieve,” and it definitely applies to making friends at an event.
If there’s one thing that I’ve learned from meeting people at events, it’s that the best way to get people interested in being your friend is to be interested in them. True shit.
2. Attend Some Support Groups
Ugh I hate to mention support groups because it’s a club that we don’t want to be a part of, but I’ve met many close friends by attending grief support groups after my brother died a few years ago.
There are several local grief support groups, and there is even a national group known as The Dinner Party, which is super cool. There is also the Covid Grief Network, if you've recently lost someone to Covid.
3. Download Bumble BFF ASAP
BUMBLE BFF……..I….I can’t!! I have seriously met so many friends from Bumble BFF. I could literally cry. I wasn’t expecting to meet so many awesome friends this way, but I’m not mad about it.
You seriously need to try Bumble BFF for yourself. I swear you’ll literally use this app on repeat. IMO, this app is actually a necessity. Yes, for real.
4. Apply To A Sorority Alumnae Initiate Program
The perfect way to meet friends does indeed exist: Join a sorority. Being in a sorority gives me all of the feels, and I hate when girls think it’s basic. How is it basic?
Full transparency, though: I literally thought everyone and their dog was joining a sorority when I was in college, so naturally I didn’t want to join.
BUT, I really loved the idea of sisterhood and volunteering with women who support a common cause, so I joined a sorority through an alumnae initiate program as a twenty-something.
If you know anything about sororities, then you know there’s an unwritten rule that your sisters are your besties for life. I can’t tell you too much more about being in a sorority because I’m evil like that, BUT is there anything better than having sisters that are friends for life? I think not, and I stand by that!
I would encourage you to apply to a sorority alumnae initiate program so that you can have friends for life too! Just google “sorority alumnae initiate programs” and you’ll find many.
5. Say “Yes” To Facebook Groups
Have you met friends by joining Facebook Groups yet? No? Okay, let’s change that right now because when you join several Facebook Groups, you’re basically guaranteed to meet your girl gang.
Here are some Facebook Groups you should consider joining: Solo female travel groups, TravelBFF, Nashville Girls Group, and Drinks After Work-Boston Baddies.
Pro Tip: Speaking of Facebook, why not post a status asking your friends if they have friends in _(insert your city)_ that you can connect with? My friend posted a similar status when she moved, and she made many friends this way.
If you are interested in other Facebook Groups or more tips to get friends from FB, send me an email! <3
6. Participate In A Social Sports League
In the words of my roommate (Hi Katie!), “Join a social sports league to meet more friends.” Like okay say less!
I have a confession to make: I’m so lazy about joining a social sports league. I just never think to join one unless I hear of another girl participating in one (or if my roommate reminds me) and then suddenly it’s all I want do at the moment.
If you’re like me and you’ve had the best intentions of joining a social sports league (or if you’ve never ever thought about doing one in your life), this is your sign to actually join one. Volleyball, kickball, softball, or tennis sports league? It’s the hardest question you’ll have to answer today!
7. Join A Book Club
Book lovers, where you at?! For my book worm babes, there’s seriously no better way to meet friends than going to a book club, obviously. I mean, not obviously, you know what I mean.
If you never turn down the opportunity to read a new book, joining a book club just makes sense. Can’t find a book club in your area? Start one yourself!
8. Take A Fun Class
I don’t always take fun classes, but when I do, you KNOW I always end up meeting someone really cool. You literally can’t go wrong with taking a charcuterie board, paint and sip, cooking, or dance class.
Aside from meeting new besties, one major benefit of taking a class is that you get to learn something new.
Have you tried meeting friends by taking classes yet? Which class would you pick?
9. Go To A Meetup
So, every girl who has ever Instagrammed her Starbucks or has an insane amount of black leggings, (basically every girl?) should go to a Meetup.
What kind of meetup person are you? Wine? Brunch? Hiking? There are literally thousands and thousands and thousands (okay not that many) but A LOT of meetups that you can join.
I have personally heard a lot of good things about the meetups where drinking wine is essentially mandatory, but any of them will be a great way to meet new friends.
10. Hop On The Coworking Train
If you’re reading this, and you work from home, you definitely need to hop on the coworking train to make friends (I don’t make the rules)!
I’ve personally never tried to get to know people while coworking, but I’ve heard meeting friends this way is low key amazinggg. I mean, how cool would it be to meet friends while (after?) writing emails that start with “Happy Thursday! –Can you believe it’s almost the weekend?”
11. Slide Into A Friendly Girl’s DMs On Instagram Or TikTok
Dear Instagram and TikTok, ilysm. Seriously though, how good is that feeling when you instantly clicked with a girl you met on Instagram or TikTok?
Besties, if you haven’t met friends from social media yet, WYD?
I seriously can’t stop talking about the awesome community on Instagram and TikTok. I know it may sound crazy to some of you, but meeting friends on social media seems to be a favorite among basically everyone.
In case you need some help: Look up hash tags of the things you’re interested in and then slide into the DMs of girls who look friendly. You can even find potential friends in the comment section of your favorite bloggers and influencers.
12. Connect With Bloggers And Influencers
If I told you that connecting with bloggers and influencers is a great way to meet friends, would you believe me? I say this every time I discover a new way to meet friends, BUT connecting with bloggers and influencers is my new fav way to meet a new bestie.
I always see girls on Instagram post cute captions something like “We had the best time at lunch. _(insert blogger name)_ and I met online, and we clicked instantly because of how much we had in common.”
I want the same for you and me, so I suggest sliding into the DMs of those really cool bloggers and influencers. You never know…one of them might end up being your new bestie.
13. Try Gyms and Fitness Clubs
Okay I feel like I’m going to upset some people right now but hear me out, gyms and fitness clubs such as Orange Theory are the perfect places to meet new friends.
I know some girls struggle with meeting friends at gyms and fitness clubs, but one of the keys to making friends at gyms and fitness clubs is asking the instructor to introduce you to people.
You also have a greater chance of meeting people if you get to the class early or stay a little later.
I honestly haven’t been to a fitness class in a hot minute, but everyone I know is obsessed with these fitness classes: Yoga, HIIT, Pilates, Spin, Pure Barre, or even Crossfit. If you go to a class at the same time every week, you’ll see some familiar faces aka new besties!
Anyone want to join a fitness class with me this week?
14. Check Out The Clockout App
Okay, my nyc babes are about to start obsessing because there’s a new app that definitely understood the assignment.
I recently discovered Clockout, which is basically an app for meeting friends. I hear it’s like Bumble BFF and Meetup (just imagine if these two apps had a baby), but 1000X better.
If you live in New York City, you NEED to try this app for your own sanity. TRUSSTT me, and thank me later!
15. Get To Know Friends Of Friends
Luckily for my babes who already have a couple of friends, meeting friends though friends of friends is one of the easiest ways of all time to level up your friend game.
If you have a roommate, you should get to know her friends too. Shoutout to my roommate for introducing me to her friends like forever ago.
As you get to know people, get to know their friends.
16. Go To Bars And Restaurants By Yourself
I was talking on the phone one day with a long distance friend, and she told me that I should try to meet people by going to bars and restaurants by myself. I eventually talked myself into going to a locally-owned restaurant that was having trivia night, and I began chatting with a friendly girl sitting at a table next to me. We are friends to this day.
One day you’ll decide to go to a bar or restaurant by yourself out of the blue too, and it turns into the best decision of your life. Always remember that you don’t have to wait for your person before going on these adventures. When I say adventures, I really just mean a bar or restaurant lol. You are your best person. I wish every girl would receive this message.
17. Look Up Alumni Groups And Bars
Update!: Wow wow wow Alumni Groups is actually the perfect way to meet people who went to your alma mater. (Okay, go back and take a shot every time I wrote “perfect way to meet people” or some variation of that because I’m pretty sure I wrote it, well, way too many times!)
Once you look up the alumni bars and groups from your alma mater in your area (you go girl!), you’ll speed (not actually) over to the events and hangouts.
18. Try The Dog Park
Dog park and chill, anyone? LMAO. I’m kinda embarrassed to say this, and I hope I don’t sound silly, but I’ve made a lot of friends by going to the dog park.
I actually got the idea from my therapist who told me that I should try meeting friends at the dog park. I was like “yeah okay,” but after I thought about it, why the hell not?
If you love dogs as much as I do, going to the dog park to meet friends is basically a no brainer. Everyone is friendly there!
19. Get Involved With A Volunteer Organization
When you want to make a big impact in the community and make friends, you join a volunteer organization.
I’m not going to brag, I’m not going to brag, but I’m the queen of volunteering. I mean I am kinda bragging, but seriously though, I literally have a weird obsession with all things volunteering. There’s just something so therapeutic about giving back to the community, you know?
I personally love volunteering with a prominent organization known as the junior league because my friend game has been like 1000000% better. I would recommend the junior league (an organization located in many cities across the US) to any girl who wants to meet friends, but there are also a crazy number of other volunteer organizations you can join.