Making new friends seems to be getting harder the older I get. Busy schedules mean that making time to see the people who are already in my life is getting tricky. Add on an introverted personality type and things get even trickier. A huge part of my dislike for putting myself out there stems from a fear of being vulnerable with people I don’t even know yet. How will they respond to my advances? What if they don’t want to become best friends and go out for brunch dates on weekends??
If you’ve had similar struggles putting yourself out there, here are some tips that are less fear-inducing.
- Talk to People in Your Classes
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I know that the thought of turning to your neighbour and stating a fun fact about yourself makes my skin crawl as much as it does yours. However, talking to the people that you will end up seeing everyday is an easy way to put yourself out there. Even if you don’t end up becoming best friends with the person sitting next to you, you’ll have someone to help you get through the class.
- Get to Know your Friends’ Friends
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If trying to befriend complete strangers feels too daunting, start off smaller and talk to people your friends already know. Your mutual friendship is an obvious thing that you have in common, so keep that in mind and use it to your advantage.
- Try Something New
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Put yourself in a situation you haven’t experienced before. The U of A is full of clubs and activities happening year-round but even outside of that, Edmonton is ripe with even more new experiences. And whether you go with a group of friends or by yourself, this can be a great way to meet new people.