Moving To A New City:
How To Make Friends Outside Of Work
Moving To A New City:
How To Make Friends Outside Of Work
Written by Lois Lane
🕒 November 12, 2019
While working in television news, I’ve heard many of my fellow journalists say how they are afraid of the possibility of being lonely and not having friends outside of work.
Thankfully, I didn’t have that fear, because I was fortunate enough to be in my home state instead of across the country, like many journalists just starting off.
However, I do know why it’s important to have friends outside of work.
We crave those friendships where the conversation doesn’t shift to topics about the newsroom or even the news in general. We crave those friendships where the conversation doesn’t consist of all of the ups and downs of the work week in the news industry.
So, how can you make those valuable friendships outside of the newsroom? Well, it’s all about being in the community!
You’re a journalist! So obviously, you see all of these really cool things that you could be apart of during the after hours of your job—at least I did.
1. Explore the City
During your days off, take some time to explore the new city that you have landed in.
Try a new restaurant, a coffee shop, museums, art exhibits, or visit a park. You will likely run into people, to talk to you. If you have a dog as a pet, a neighborhood dog park would not only be perfect for your furry friend to have a little exercise, but also a time for you to meet new friends.
2. Learn Something New
Get out of your comfort zone! Attend a workshop to learn a new craft like painting, drawing, or hand lettering.
Cooking classes are also great! Pure Barre classes are very popular right now; these classes are workouts that are inspired by ballet. Pull out your phone and Google the nearest class to you.
These classes and workshops will not only stretch you out of your comfort zone, but you will likely meet friends to hang out with more.
3. Serve as a Volunteer
Once again, Google is your friend! Search for non-profits in your area, and reach out to find out how you can serve.
More than likely, they would love to bring you onboard to serve in a meaningful capacity. While it is a great opportunity to meet friends, who have the same servant’s heart as you, you will also be representing your station in the process.
4. Your Local Church
If you attend church, chances are you will definitely run into others who are around the same age and share the same interests. You can spend time volunteering together at the church and hanging out outside of church as well.
5. Attend Local Events
Before the start of a new month, I usually try to find out if there are any upcoming local events that I may be interested in.
You can do this by visiting the site Eventbrite. They have tons of listings based on what you’re interested in. Some of them are festivals, conferences, or special workshops.
6. Search #Hashtags
We can’t forget about the power of social media! Go ahead and log into your Instagram account, and start following local hashtags and hashtags based on your interests.
If you’re a fashion blogger, chances are you’ll find another person who has the same interest. If you’re an artist, you’ll find another person who loves art just as much as you do. You will see the different events they attend, which means you can introduce yourself if you run into them at the next one.
I hope these tips were helpful for you! Comment below and tell us which tips you plan to try out. If you’re reading this and have used one of these tips, how did it work for you?