Category Archives: General

(This column is posted at www.StevenSavage.com and Steve’s Tumblr.  Find out more at my newsletter.)

I saw this fascinating Tweet thread when @itsashleyoh asked how people make friends as adult. This is something that’s often troubled me after college, and is an issue in ever-busy Silicon Valley.

Its hard to make friends past a certain point. You get busy with work. Some of your friends have kids and some don’t. Some of you are married and some aren’t. So I read the Tweetstream and added a few suggestions of my own. Think of it as my own way of combating some issues of loneliness all face.

Most of these are face-to-face, but a lot of this applies to online.

Here we go. Please add your own.

Hobbies

• Have a hobby and follow it. This is good for you personally, and of course makes you more interesting.
• Use that hobby to meet people with similar interests and go to meetups, drinks, dinner, etc.
• Help people get into the hobby.
• Hobbies also keep you from being boring and work obsessed.

Clubs

• There are all sorts of clubs out there you can find via meetup, game stores, hobby stores, etc. Find some and go try them out.
• When you can, help out at your club.
• Take a position at a club.

Causes

• Get involved in good causes, and help out. This is also good for you mentally and emotionally.
• If you get involved in a good cause, you may want to be “on staff” – that means reguarly meeting people.

Conventions

• Go to conventions and socialize.
• Speak or run events at conventions.
• Get on staff at conventions.

Go to places and hang out

• Start hanging out at coffee shops, the library, gymns, etc. other places people gather. Sure you can write and read, but also its a chance to meet people.
• Many places have regular events, bands, etc. Look for those.
• Places you hang out may also have event boards, where people post different things going on.

Events

• If you go to events, go early so you can meet people in line, getting drinks, etc.
• If you go to events reguarly, help out.
• Go to events people you know throw and make new connections.

Specific events and organizations

• Many pubs and places have trivia events and other great social opportunities.
• Game nights are popular at various establishments, including game stores, bars, and meetups.
• Libraries have lots of events, including book sales that you can go to or help out with.
• Museums have events and need volunteers.
• Writing groups and various creative groups often do a lot of events.

Throw events

• Throw open houses, writing meetups, etc. If necessary, used Meetup.com.
• Do events for your club, church, work to nextwork with people you know.
• Start your own Meetup.
• Try doing “creative jams” at your place or nearby, where fellow writers/artists/musicians socialize.

Work

• Your job may have events that connect you with others, not just those at work.
• Find people you like at work and hang with them if you’re comfortable.
• Places of work often have charity connections that you can get involved in.

Pets

• Pets are a common shared interest. There’s parks for animals, clubs, and more.
• There’s often social events for pet lovers.
• There’s charities focused around pets to get involved in

Be prepared

• Have business cards or “social cards” to connect with people.
• Choose the social media you use to connect with people so you can network.
• Meetup.com is invaluable.

Psychology

• Be ready to reach out to people.
• Rejection is OK. It happens to all of us.
• If you’re seeing a therapist for whatever reason, they may have advice.

Be a good friend

• Take an interest in others. It’s not all about you.
• Help people out (don’t be used, just lend a helping hand)
• Invite your friends to things. even if they don’t always show up, it helps.
• Remember some people are in the same boat as you.

I hope this helps out.

Steven Savage

• www.StevenSavage.com
• www.InformoTron.com