Recent studies have shown that people that are older than 30 are lonelier than ever and find it extremely difficult to make new friends. A part of this is the new work from home culture that has emerged since the pandemic, but there are also plenty of other factors that make it hard to meet new people and form long-lasting friendships.
Having a social circle is important for the mental health of a person, which is why it’s worth getting out there and making friends. Here we will look at some simple tips and tricks for finding friends for those that are older than 30.
Mutual Hobbies
One of the easiest ways of meeting new people is by taking up a new hobby and then seeking out others that share that hobby. As long as the hobby can be social in some respects, such as taking cooking classes or learning instruments or gardening, there will almost always be hobby groups available. The benefit here is that everyone that engages in the hobby will already have a common interest, and there’s a good chance that there might be other shared interests. Not only are the hobbies themselves good for mental health, but they create the perfect opportunity to get out and meet new people.
Volunteering
Volunteering is a selfless activity that sees a person using their time and resources to try and make the world a better place. Those that volunteer tend to be more empathetic, caring for the people and the world around them. It can be as simple as going to the local homeless shelter and offering to hand out food or working at an animal shelter. Similarly, to a hobby, there will already be a common interest shared among the people that are volunteering, such as having a common goal, like having a passion for animals, or wanting to help those that are less fortunate. No matter where a person is situated in the world, there’s a very good chance that they will easily find a volunteering opportunity.
The Online World
With the power of the internet, it’s now possible to talk to people from across the world. This also creates plenty of chances to join online communities and make new friends, whether it’s from a video game channel to playing video poker in Canada. From social media groups to Discord channels, making friends through the online route is probably the easiest of them all, and it can also help if the community is local in some way, where it might be possible to meet up at some point in the future.
Going Out
One of the more traditional ways of meeting new people is by going out to local clubs and bars, which will always be packed with plenty of interesting people. Small, local pubs are a great starting point, especially for those that might battle with the noise and commotion of a club. Sports and sushi bars are also great for this, and it might be worth heading out on a Friday night to one of these venues.