I’m sure you’ve heard the saying about being the average of your top five friends. I think there’s some truth to that, but what I’ve noticed about the people I think are cool is that they have a lot of people they can call on to do the things they enjoy. They’re often surrounded by interesting and fun people. Today, I want to write about my friends and how I’m trying to meet more people I enjoy being around. I’ve touched on this topic before—probably because I was on a trip with friends (as I am now!)—but I hope this is still a good read!
When I think about the friends I’ve had the longest, one thing stands out: most of them are always willing to do the things we both enjoy. Many of them I met through school or sports. I used to be—and still am—fairly passive when it comes to making friends. By passive, I mean I don’t often go out of my way to try to make new friends. Usually, I gradually hang out with someone more and more until we become closer, whether they’re a mutual friend or in the same math class as me. In high school and college, that’s pretty easy to do because you naturally get to know people just by being around them all of the time. Outside of school, though, you have to be a little more active in making friends, but I’ve found that there are definitely communities where people are welcoming.
I’ve noticed people tend to build communities around hobbies, which makes sense—if someone shares a hobby with you, chances are they’ll have other similar interests too. With that in mind, I’ve been trying to join more communities so I can meet more people to do things with.
Being involved in these communities is actually kind of like going to school, but instead of spending time with classmates, you’re surrounded by people who love volleyball, running, anime, or whatever you’re into. So yes, you may have to actively join these groups, but once you’re in, you’ll probably start passively meeting a lot of people you click with.
I’ve found that many of these communities have regular meetups, like weekly pickup games, trivia nights, or similar events. It’s a great way to meet people because over time, you get to know the regulars, but you’ll also meet new faces every so often. I’m already a part of a few of these communities, but I think I should try to join more. I don’t have the biggest online presence, but joining some digital communities is also on my radar.
