We all know the story of someone who met their partner online. But when it comes to finding friends?
How to make friends online…
… in a way that feels genuine and fulfilling, not creepy or fake?
Making friends can be challenging at any age, but especially as an adult. In a life full of responsibilities, it can be hard to find time for ourselves. Many of us juggle work and family commitments while trying to maintain healthy relationships with our friends in the real world. This leaves less time to make new ones, right?
Well, the internet has changed things. Whereas it used to be essential to leave the house and “make the first move,” today connections happen online: you can join online communities, start conversations on forums or chats, and there are virtual spaces dedicated specifically to meeting new people, namely friendship sites.
If you’ve been feeling lonely lately, or simply want to expand your circle and meet some new friends to hang out with, then this blog post is for you. Here are some strategies that might help make online meeting less stressful and more rewarding.
Some of our tips may seem unconventional or counterintuitive, but we offer a different approach to finding new friends.
What Social Networks Lack?
Maybe you’ve already tried making connections through social media or joining an online forum, but frankly, the results weren’t great. The fact is, connections made this way often don’t feel as fulfilling as the friendships we had when we were younger.
Why? Social media was designed for young people, tailored perfectly to their needs and interests. But often these are fleeting connections: those found on social networks can be pleasant acquaintances, but rarely turn into true, lasting relationships.
What’s rare to find is something that bridges online and offline: making sure that virtual meetings turn into “in-person” experiences. Because making friends requires time spent together and sharing, which rarely happens behind a screen. you arrive at "in-person" experiences. Because making friends requires time spent together and sharing, which rarely happens if you stay behind a screen.
Curate Your Online Presence.
Find a site you like and use it regularly. Whatever friendship app or site for meeting new people you choose to use, create a polished, convincing profile. Always think about what you’d want to find on the other side: would you trust a profile without photos, with few details, and sloppy?
Make sure your online presence reflects who you are, transparently, and you’ll definitely get more responses. Be someone who’s easy to talk to. And don’t be afraid to make the first move: invite someone new into your network by sending them a message!
Be Selective.
The number of people on a friendship site is far greater than the circles of acquaintances we’re used to in real life. Keep in mind how many people are on the site and how much time you plan to spend messaging others online. When on a friendship site, it’s important to be selective and seek quality over quantity.
Keep an Open Mind.
When you meet someone, be as open and honest as possible about your interests and your reasons for wanting to meet new people. Also be kind: the most important thing when meeting someone is to be kind and friendly, not self-promoting or pushy.
Finally, be patient: don’t expect every person who contacts you to want to become friends. Approaching apps or friendship sites online without expectations is one of the keys to a calm and truly rewarding experience!
Moving From Online to Offline.
Meeting in real life. As we said before, some things may seem unconventional but one of the best ways to make friends online is to meet them offline. It’s much easier to make friends if you’re actually willing to spend time seeing each other face to face.
Be Yourself.
Be confident, shy, assertive but kind, quiet or chatty: in short, whatever personality suits you best! Don’t be afraid to show yourself as you are. Whether you’re reserved or exuberant, don’t worry about being perfect in everything you say and do.
Honesty always pays off. Also, showing these authentic traits will help others approach you authentically instead of having an awkward or boring encounter where no one laughs at all (and let’s face it: laughter really breaks down barriers!)
Learn to Enjoy Your Own Company.
This is definitely the most counterintuitive point in our guide: to find new friends, you have to learn to enjoy being alone. If your friends are all busy when you want to try a new activity, or you can’t find anyone to join you for a mountain walk or to go see an exhibition, don’t give up on your plans.
Go alone! This will boost your confidence in enjoying quality free timeand will eliminate any fear of loneliness. Moreover, it could always be an opportunity to meet new interesting people.
In short, with the rise of social media, we’ve become more connected than ever. However, it’s not always easy to meet new people or make friends online as adults. But with patience and spontaneity, it’s possible to overcome the initial hurdles and find great company.