Want to meet interesting people, find new friends, break out of your usual circles, in short, make friendships that go beyond superficial small talk? Sharing passions like travel or books isn’t easy, especially if you’re no longer in your university years. But this is a list of tips, a guide that works regardless of your current social situation or the size of the city you live in. If you’re wondering how to meet people with shared interests, here are some ideas to find like-minded individuals you can connect with.
Get to Know the People Around You on a Deeper Level
You can meet friends and get to know interesting people who think like you in the most unexpected places. But it’s also easy to miss many opportunities if you don’t make an effort to get to know better the people already around you, dismissing them too quickly because they might not fully match your interests.
Sometimes you might meet someone every day and never talk. Then, when you start talking seriously, you might like each other and even become better friends. When you only have small talk, everyone seems superficial. But if you get into the habit of talking with people, learning to move from small talk to discovering if you share interests or common ground, you might have some great surprises.
Look for Event Sites Based on Shared Interests
Going to meet-up groups based on activities to do together can be a great way to break the ice.
The problem is that to have the chance to meet people, you need to meet them regularly.
There are recurring events, for example on groups and communities like Meeters. Focus on these: walks, aperitifs, guided tours, and more, depending on your interests. You’ll have the chance to meet people again and again, as groups of “regulars” and habitués form, giving you a good chance to get to know them and make new friends.
Skip Noisy Bars, Big Parties, and Clubs
To meet interesting people and become friends, you need to meet multiple times and have many in-depth conversations, as we said earlier.
In noisy bars, big parties, and clubs, most people aren’t in the mood for deep conversations. That doesn’t mean they’re superficial or lack interests. It just means they’re not in that mindset at that moment.
The exception is small house parties. They’re usually not so noisy and it’s easier to get to know someone over a beer on the couch. If you’re invited to a small party by a friend you share interests with, you’re likely to meet other like-minded people there.
Search Online Groups for Specific Interests
Going to generic places on social networks, like “new in town” groups, will probably have a lower success rate than specific interest groups. You might still find like-minded people, but you’re more likely to meet people with shared interests in social groups where users are united by specific passions.
Look for people interested in the same things you are. These people are also more likely to be similar to you in personality.
But how do you meet people with similar interests?
Always look for ways to meet people regularly: find events organized in your area and based on your interests; join local interest groups on Facebook or other social networks and attend both physical and virtual.
meetings. And importantly, use your shared interests to start a conversation.
Look for Social Events and Communities
To find like-minded people, the key is to learn to make small talk and then move to personal conversation. You can meet many new friends at recurring local festivals or fairs.
For example, if you’re passionate about modeling, you might want to attend the annual modeling fair and look for other attendees in online groups and communities. By the way, have you ever tried board games or role-playing games? People usually naturally create communities around these interests.
Find People You Might Have Things in Common With
If you already meet people regularly, like at work or a class, the easiest path is to get to know them better. You might discover you have things in common.
Make a conscious effort to talk more with people you meet regularly, and find out if you share interests using the methods already mentioned. Once you find someone you have a lot in common with, check out our mega guide on how to make friends.
Remember That Small Talk Is Important
Have you always hated small talk because it seemed pointless? Only superficial people seem to engage in chit-chat, right? Actually, we all need small talk to “warm up” before we can start an interesting conversation.
It’s not really about the words we use or what we talk about. It’s about signaling that we’re friendly and open to conversation and getting to know others. When you say “How was your weekend?”, what you’re really saying is “I’m friendly and ready to talk with you.”
On the other hand, if you only get into conversation with new people when you’re “forced,” the other person will think “This person doesn’t want to socialize because they never talk to me.”
Small talk is the bridge to getting to know people and seeing if you’re compatible.
Join an Online Community Related to Your Interests
There are countless forums, but beyond that, you have all the Facebook communities. Search for anything related to your interests and be active in that community by posting and commenting.
After a few weeks, people start recognizing your name. Just like seeing someone’s face repeatedly in real life, they feel like they know you when they see your nickname over and over. That’s how you become part of the community, and there’s no need for awkward small talk.
The upside of this method is that you can make friends even if you don’t feel comfortable meeting strangers in live meetups. The downside is that most of these friendships will remain online.
Use an App
Nowadays there are apps for making friends, not just for romantic dating. On your profile, write down your interests. That way, others can know if you’re compatible.
Choose a photo where you look friendly, find profiles where people write about themselves so you can see if you have things in common and… go for it!
Start a Group Related to Your Interests
Have you searched for local philosophy or Chinese cooking groups but found none? Why not start your own group?
Tell people you think might be interested, even if you barely know them or have only met once, and invite them to meet regularly. Ask them to invite their friends, so the group can grow and expand.
You can promote your group on Facebook specifically to people who like a page or similar pages in your city. In short, there are many ways to use social media specifically for interests and reach the right people.
Get Involved in a Project
Having a common goal fosters relationships between people and cements friendships.
What’s a project you can get involved in?
You don’t necessarily have to start the project. You can join something ongoing related to your interests. Here are some ideas on how to find these projects: Facebook groups covering your interests (search for things like “Photography,” “DIY,” or “Cooking”), or interest and networking groups at work.
Take Every Opportunity to Meet People
The truth is you can find people who literally think like you anywhere, as long as you get into the habit of getting to know people on a more personal level.
The point is that every person you meet is an opportunity to make friends. Even though you’re more likely to find like-minded people at events related to specific interests, you could still meet a “soulmate” anywhere.
So, make sure to meet many people.
Say Yes Two Times Out of Three
Okay, we said that to meet interesting people who match your interests, it’s important to meet many people. To make this easier, you can try saying yes to all invitations… or almost all.
A good rule, a compromise that won’t exhaust you, is to say yes to 2 out of 3 invitations. This means you can say no when it really doesn’t suit you, but still say yes to most invitations.
The risk of saying no to too many invitations is that people will soon stop inviting you. Not because they don’t like you, but because it’s not nice to be rejected.
Follow Up With People You Get Along With
If you feel a good connection with someone, make sure to get their number or social contact!
In Conclusion…
To recap: how to meet interesting people and make new friends?
- Learn to get to know people before dismissing them or deciding they’re not for you: make a sincere effort to get to know people before assuming you have nothing in common.
- Improve your conversation skills: practice your conversation skills so you can get to know people on a deeper level and create chemistry.
- Take every opportunity to socialize: you need to meet many people to find those you get along with.
- Look for places where you can meet regularly: it’s good to meet people at least weekly so you can develop a friendship with them.
- Look for places where people share your interests: you can improve your chances by going to places where people share your interests.
- Follow up with people you like: dare to keep in touch with people you’ve met. Use your mutual interest as a “reason” to meet.
I know this sounds like a lot, but you just need to take the first step to get started and then you can learn along the way! What’s the first step you can take right now to start finding people like you? Start today!