If you’ve chosen to make a long distance move to a new city or state, you’re soon going to notice the absence of family and friends in your life. Often, we underestimate just how valuable our friends are to our quality of life. So, this month, we’re looking at how to make new friends in a city after you’ve made a long distance move.
First, a word about loneliness. Many people suffer from loneliness at one time or another. It’s a condition that can creep up on us quite out of the blue and leave us with the blues. Don’t despair. There are many ways to rebuild your personal community and the rewards are worth every moment of making the effort.
1. The power of social media
The fastest and easiest way to begin to rebuild your network is to track down old friends and acquaintances. Social media apps like Facebook are a good way to start. Reach out and catch up. If you still have interests in common, you’ll immediately enter a new circle of people, giving you the chance to meet and make new friends.
2. Connect with like-minded people
Don’t wait to pursue hobbies, interests or other activities. Again, social media is a great way to find out if there are clubs, groups that meet regularly, or other social activities in your area. If you don’t have a hobby, don’t be shy about trying out something new. Investigate what activities are popular in your area. You may discover you had a hidden interest or talent as well as meeting new people.
3. Become a volunteer
As well as helping the charitable causes in your community, volunteering your time is a great way to connect with people. Get in touch with your community organisations and ask about volunteering your time. Not only does this get you directly involved in your new community, volunteering is good for your sense of self-esteem. Most charitable organisations appreciate whatever time you can put in. If you form a valuable connection, commit to more time, or try helping some other organisation to extend your network.
4. General tips
Never be shy about telling people you’re new to the city if you get into a conversation. Take every opportunity to get out and about at events and community activities. Check out websites like meetup.com to find out what’s happening nearby. Be confident, be yourself and keep an open mind.
Finally, finding new friends is a commitment of effort and time, so let us worry about getting you moved, so you can get on with life in your new community.