5 Ways to Make Friends in Your 30s
Making new friends as an adult is generally harder than when you’re in your early 20s. But this doesn’t mean that you won’t make any new friends after you graduate from college. Research shows that people tend to replace half their close friends every 7 years. But how does it happen? Here are 5 ways to make friends in your 30s.Find a hobby. No matter how old you are, it is easier to make friends with people who share your interests. Think about all the things you like doing in your free time and try to figure out how they can help you bond with other people (for example, reading at home won’t do any good to your social life, but you can join a local book club). And don’t even think that you're too old for a certain hobby. It’s never too late to join a dance class or learn a new language!
Join a group. Meetup.com is a social networking site that allows people to find and join groups unified by a common interest. Try it out to find people who share your interests and live nearby (geographical proximity becomes more important in friendships as you grow older due to a busier schedule). If you have kids, connect with other parents at your local playground or at school (if other parents really are the group of potential friends you’d like to join).
Adopt a dog. We don’t mean that in the sense that a pet will fill that friend-shaped void in your life (although dogs do make awesome friends). A dog needs daily walks, so you’ll start taking it to places where other dog owners go. Sooner or later, you’ll start having friendly chats with said dog owners, commiserating over your dogs’ hyperactivity (or laziness), sharing advice and funny stories. Of course, you won’t become friends with all of them, but there definitely is some potential for at least one friendship there.
Take up volunteering. When you don’t have to work overtime to pay off your student loans or mortgage, you may find yourself with much free time on your hands. We suggest that you dedicate at least part of this time to volunteering. Volunteer work is good for the community, it boosts your self-esteem and allows you to meet new people of different backgrounds.
Try to rekindle old friendships. As we grow up, we lose contact with people we used to call our friends due to moving away for a new job, because of growing apart or for a bunch of other reasons. Some friendships are meant to end, but some can be rekindled. So if you’re really missing your high school or college BFF, look them up on Facebook and reach out! Maybe things will work out. Maybe they won’t. But you never know till you try.