How to Make Friends Outside of School

It’s easier than you think.

One thing that happens after high school is some friendships start to fade away. Don’t panic though ‘cos that’s super normal.

Sometimes friendships are seasonal, and other times they only existed because of a common place of gathering like school.

Just remember that losing touch with a friend you were once close with isn’t always your fault, rather just an out-of-sight, out-of-mind situation.

But here you are now, wanting to add more friends to your life. Only problem is: how do you do that? Allow us to help.

Here’s how you can make friends outside of high school.

Say “yes” more.

The first step in making friends is saying “yes” to every opportunity.

Whether someone is asking you along to a party, quiz night, dog walk or social night at your local lawn bowls club, say yes.

It might be a little daunting but putting yourself in situations where people are is legit the most important step in making friends.

Plus, once you start saying yes, you’ll notice that people will invite you to more things. Wicked—that means it’s working and you’re making friends. Go you!

Join a social group.

Joining a social group is a great way to accelerate making friends ‘cos you’ll be seeing these people regularly.

Social groups come in all different shapes and sizes too. If you’re athletic then joining a sports club is a great place to start. Nothing builds friendships quicker than training and winning games together.

Outside of sport, local youth groups, boot camps, dog walking clubs and even the gym are great places to start seeing people on the regular.

Learn something new.

Taking a class to learn a new skill is a fun way to meet people. Clearly you all have a common interest, so striking up a conversation with someone should be easy.

From cooking or art to pottery and coding, there are heaps of classes out there for you to meet like-minded people while you learn alongside them.

On top of that, if it’s a weekly class, then you’re going to be seeing these people regularly. Seeing people consistently helps to build friendships quicker.

Friend dating apps.

Yep. Believe it or not, there is such a thing as friend dating apps to help you meet your new bestie.

Bumble BFF, Meetup and a heap of other apps are designed to help you make some new friends.

On Meetup, you can search for local events happening in your city and choose which one you’d like to attend. They have everything from volleyball hang outs to language classes.

Bumble BFF is like their dating feature. You create a profile and start scrolling through potential new friends. Once you’ve found someone with similar interests, swipe ‘yes’ on them and hope they return the favour.

We reckon giving any of these ways a try is a sure-fire way to meet new people and make lasting friendships.

If you're looking to level up in all walks of life from friendships to study skills, Student Edge Plus is full of learning experiences to help you become a boss at life.

Header Image: Simon Maage via Unsplash