[Image: https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/multiracial-students-walking-university-hall-during-685407808 alt text: college students walking in university hall]
College is a place of learning and having new experiences, but it’s also more than that. Many people make lifelong friends in college and expand their network to encompass new people. The close proximity, similar goals, and shared living spaces are all factors that make it easy to meet new people in college. Additionally, many people belong to fraternities or sororities, and they also help people expand their networks.
But what about after college?
Meeting people after college is more challenging, especially if you work remotely. The good news is that it doesn’t have to be. We’ll take you through some ways to meet new people after college.
5 Tips To Help You Meet New People After College
Meeting people after college is possible if you look in the right places. It’s also important to meet the right people to avoid any potential problems. We’ll take you through a handful of ways to help you meet new people after college; many of these tips will even work for any phase of your life.
1. Join a Group
One of the best ways to meet adults after college is to join a group. Many groups will have a collection of people who have similar interests, and consistently being with the same people will help you expand your network.
This is also one of the best ways to make new friends. There are many options for finding a group to join because people like to do all sorts of things, from sports to painting.
We list some common group options below.
- Climbing
- Dancing
- Sports leagues
- Hiking
- Gyms
- Chamber of commerces
- Book clubs
- Your local church
Groups can be just about anything, so make sure you focus on something that interests you. If you don’t, spending time there will be a drag, and people may notice.
2. Make Friends With Your Coworkers
Coworkers can help you expand your social circle in several ways. First and foremost, they can introduce you to other coworkers in the company. This can help you expand your network at work, which is quick and easy. Plus, you don’t have to worry about leaving the office. That said, this isn’t the biggest benefit of getting closer to your coworkers.
The biggest benefit is that you can meet their friends. We’re talking about their friends outside the workplace, and if you hit it off, you can become friends too. Still, make sure you’re being proactive and going out with coworkers outside of work to make the most progress.
3. Find People Online
Innovations for the 21st century have made it easy to meet new people online. Communicating on social media, forums, and via email has made staying in touch with people easy. You can also join Discord servers and all sorts of other communities online. In fact, even playing online video games will help you meet new people. Whether or not you meet these people in person is up to you; however, this might never happen if someone lives too far away.
If you do happen to meet someone online, always verify their identity to avoid any problems. If you want to verify someone’s online identity, you have a few tools at your disposal, depending on how they contact you. For example, you can leverage an email lookup tool, like this one, to verify someone’s email address. Other general tools like people searches can help you view anyone’s public records. This will help you learn about whether or not someone is who they say they are.
4. Take “No” Out of Your Vocabulary
Saying “no” to plans is the best way to never meet new people. Instead of declining invites from friends or family members, give saying “yes” a shot. You’ll never know if you like a new activity if you keep saying “no.” This doesn’t just apply to friends either. If strangers come up with ideas or if you notice flyers for something hanging up, give it a shot and see what happens!
Getting out in the world will always be the best way to meet new people. We’re not saying that you always have to say “yes” to just anything, but not declining plans will help you get out there. Of course, if anything makes you uncomfortable, feel free to make some exceptions.
5. Live With Roommates
Roommates are one of the best ways to meet someone after college because you’re forced to live with someone—though, this is simpler in a city where it’s easier to find roommates. Living with roommates will help you meet new people that you coexist with daily, but there’s also another benefit, which is that you can meet your roommate’s friends, which can help you meet even more people.
Roommates may also have new opportunities for you. For example, they might have groups or clubs that they’re a part of, and they might bring you with them. In these cases, it’s up to you to say “yes,” but roommates offer a lot of potential to explore new places and meet new people.
Following these tips will help you meet new people after college but always make sure you maintain your safety when doing so.
Meet New People After College Today!
It’s not hard to meet new people after college when you know where to look. Getting into hobbies and exploring new opportunities will help you meet new people naturally. Otherwise, you have options like meeting people online with social media apps like Discord, Facebook, Twitter, and more. In fact, many dating websites have alternative options that allow you to search for new friends who share common interests.
Always remember to verify the people you’re meeting. This applies more to online situations, but knowing more about someone before agreeing to meet with them will help you stay safe out there.