Reddit user u/nageet2020 recently asked, "How do you meet people and make friends as an adult?" and people had A LOT to say.
Here are the best replies:
1. "I've met a lot of nice people in my climbing gym. I'm kind of a shy dude, but it's easy to just start a conversation like, 'This route is tough, right?' and people will always respond with, 'Yeah, little bit!' That's when you start talking more. Just don't look desperate, and keep it positive."
2. "Community events that offer free food."
3. "Volunteering is great. But no matter what you do, that awkward first step toward friendship is all up to you."
4. "I was waiting for a table at a restaurant, and I got to talking to a grandma, daughter, and granddaughter. When my table was ready, I invited them to sit with me. We had a great time, and it turns out we had a fair amount in common! We exchanged numbers and agreed to meet up again."
5. "Social apps like Bumble! The app lets you select whether you want to use it for dating, business, or making friends."
6. "I do Brazilian jiu-jitsu. It's a very sociable sport — I can move to a new city and make friends almost immediately."
7. "My local board game store hosts open board game nights that attract very friendly, accepting people. And I don't run out of things to talk about while playing."
8. "The gym is great! I'm someone who doesn’t usually go up to people because I assume nobody wants to talk to me, but over the years, I’ve made so many acquaintances from the gym."
9. "I’ve always made friends through long-term jobs. Working alongside people 40+ hours per week helps you get to know them over time."
10. "I recently hired someone to organize my house, and we hit it off and became fast friends. Just talking to people and being friendly can open doors organically! My grandma always said, 'In order to make a friend, you have to be a friend.'"
11. "I’m really into a kind of niche genre of music. By regularly going to see live music in my city, I got to meet and make friends with people who are into the same specific thing as me."
12. "Networking events! I've met so many awesome people and long-term friends this way."
13. "Go on Facebook and find a group of people in your area with similar interests. Gardening, book club, hiking, pickup basketball, etc. Then start attending events pertaining to something you like and strike up a conversation! Easier said than done, I know."
14. "Use the friends you have to make more! Saying, 'My friend and I are doing [insert plans here] on Saturday if you want to join' is a lot less intimidating than asking a stranger to hang out one-on-one."
15. "If you have kids, make friends with the parents of their classmates that you hate the least."
16. "Hiking meetups. I've had little success with anything else. I have no proof to back this up, but I think you have to share some type of challenging experience to bond over in order to make a lasting friendship."
17. "Talk to everyone. When you go to the store, that's a great excuse to chat with the cashier, for example. Maybe they're a great conversationalist and a future good friend!"
H/T r/AskReddit
Some responses have been edited for length and clarity.