How To Meet New People + Tips For Making Friends, According To Experts

To find out, we asked experts, plus got their tips on starting new friendships. Here's what to know.

In fact, as one 2019 study published in the journal Innovation in Aging notes, friendships serve "a vital role for sustaining social connectedness in late life when other relationships may become unavailable."

And as somatic psychologist Holly Richmond, Ph.D., adds, one of her favorite ways to meet new people is Meetup, as well as My Social Calendar. Your local Facebook events page can also be a good place to look to find out what's going on near you.

Speaking of finding events, you can find groups you're interested in too, according to licensed therapist De-Andrea Blaylock-Solar, MSW, LCSW-S, CST. She tells mindbodygreen that whether you're looking for a hiking group or an LGBTQ+ group, you can always find other people who get together to enjoy their shared interests.

Here are our favorite friend-finder apps to help you get started.

That said, Nuñez recommends identifying a hobby you'd like to do more and then looking for meetup groups that have activities around that hobby, whether that's photography, swimming, pickleball—you name it.

According to both Blaylock-Solar and Nuñez, having a set routine is a great way to be around the same people on a regular basis. For instance, Blaylock-Solar says, maybe you always take your dog out for a morning walk and notice your neighbor does the same thing. That's a great opportunity to strike up a conversation or even ask if they'd like to walk with you some mornings out of the week.

See the same person on the elliptical every time you're at the gym? Don't be afraid to say hi or ask if they can teach you a workout tip or two.

Some hobbies don't require you to take class, like hiking, for example. But if you're looking to get into pottery, cooking, or even gardening, Blaylock-Solar says, these are all things that probably have some local classes in your area. Find your nearest pottery studio and sign up for a class or learn how to make homemade pasta and strike up a conversation with the person making ravioli next to you.

If you're lucky enough to have cool co-workers, some of them could be potential friends—and one of the best ways to find out is to get involved in any extracurriculars your workplace offers, like the company volleyball team or the birthday committee. Even if you simply rally your co-workers for happy hour drinks once a week, you might find you've been missing out on existing workplace connections.

Don't want to look for a group to join? Start the group yourself and host a book club once a month. As Nuñez explains, you can invite friends but then also encourage friends to invite other friends you haven't met. That way, everyone meets someone new and you have a built-in conversation starter—the book!

Similar to starting a book club, Nuñez tells mindbodygreen you could also host any type of get-together, such as a monthly dinner party. Just like the book club example, you can invite people you already know and have them bring a friend or two that you've never met.

Similarly, mutual friends are a great place to start as well, according to board-certified psychiatrist Roxanna Namavar, D.O. "Sometimes it makes it easier to be social if a friend is with you that you already feel comfortable with," she previously told mindbodygreen. Plus, if they already get along with one of your friends, there's a good chance you'll like them too.

As Namavar explains, "When we start to focus on doing things that make us feel good and engage in a way that increases positive feelings, it makes it easier to see and connect with other people we resonate with," adding, "The more engaged we are with life, the easier it is to go out and meet people."

When making new friends, you want to stay open and curious. As Richmond explains, "Instead of talking about yourself or thinking you have to impress this person, lead with curiosity and ask questions about them." She adds that most of us are "in our heads" to a degree, so if you can help get someone out of their head, that's a positive and endearing quality.

You might have to go outside your comfort zone and try new things to meet new people, so be prepared for that. "The key is to be willing to put yourself out there to engage with other people you don't know," Beurkens says. Of course, this can be intimidating, "especially for people who are shy or experience some social anxiety," she adds, "but taking the risk to meet new people is what leads to the reward of developing new relationships."

Making a friend is a two-way street, so don't be afraid to initiate. The other person could be just as hesitant to reach out, too. Things like a simple compliment or finding a similar interest are great places to start, according to Namavar, who adds, "Also, asking somebody for a little bit of help opens the door to soften the interaction."

"Not everyone's going to like you, but as we get older, you can accept that not everyone needs to like you," Richmond says. And when you live your truth, "then you can find the people who do," she adds.

Be patient and stay positive—every interaction is a chance for a new connection when you're open and looking.