How to make friends in the New York City
People in cities are busy. They don’t have time for your bullshit, as your don’t have time for theirs. So with everyone running around, and usually maintaining an unapproachable aura, its a fair to wonder how anyone makes any friends. Hell, some people have trouble making new friends even if they’ve grown up in the city. As a social guru who has never had trouble making friends, I will now impart some helpful hints in making friends in a city. Please ready yourselves while I spit hot fire.
Have a hobby, or get one
If you are human, you have likes and dislikes. Actively pursuing or keeping up with one of these “likes” classifies it as an “interest”. Paying for that interest makes it a hobby. Turns out, people with the same interests and hobbies gather together….I know, crazy thought. More often than not, friendships begin by finding common ground*, so ideally you could meet a number of people who are friendly. Now not every one of these people is going to be a winner. Having just one thing in common is only going to get your so far in a conversation, but its pretty likely that you’ll be able to form some type of friendship with one of them.
Some people say that they don’t have hobbies. First of all, thats not true. Hobbies range from watching TV to collecting quarters. As much as we all would like to believe that we are unique and special that is statistically inaccurate, so chances are that if you like something then someone else likes it too. If there is nothing that you like, then you are either inexpressive or are actively wasting your life. Secondly, if you don’t think you have something that other people would like, then TRY SOMETHING NEW. DO MORE STUFF! You aren’t going to get any sympathy for being lazy. New friends aren’t going to come to you. If you were that awesome, you wouldn’t be not making friends at home…...JK. But seriously, if you can’t think of any hobbies then you have to try something new by using the internet. You may not like everything you try, but you’ll find something eventually. Now if you choose not to take any action about being friendless then chances are you probably can’t make them right, because people need to engage with each other in order to become friends. Now a very small portion of you may have some type of anxiety, in which my previous insults do not apply. However you will need to find strategies or coping mechanisms to engage in the same way. A big group activity may not be the best, try looking for small groups to start off! Personally I like getting lost in a crowd. Its easiest to hide in plain sight.
*something in common
Learn how to have a conversation
Some of you, who shall remain nameless suck at talking. Its no ones fault, but communication is a skill. One that needs to be practiced and improved upon. Most of the time, you’ll need to have a conversation in order to make a friendship. Now some of you may think, “He’s been insulting throughout this whole post and now he’s being condescending!” Yes, I have been teasing anyone reading and no I am not being condescending. There are far too many people who think that they are fine at having a conversation, or just consider themselves “quiet.” I am trying to plant the seed that you may not be as good at conversing as you think you are.
Conversations, involve two key aspects: Listening and bringing up new points. Some folks are awesome at responding, but don’t create new areas of the conversation to explore. This leads to a conversation being one sided. As someone who has kept a lot of conversations alive allow me to tell you that its too much work. If you aren’t asking questions or bringing up new things/topics, then you’re fucking it up. Being nervous is going, but don’t overthink it. As long as you don’t say something homophobic, racist, classist, or sexist you are probably good. If you have trouble not saying anything related to those issues….then you need to work some shit out. Conversely, if you find yourself doing all of the talking….shut up. Everyone needs to be okay with empty space once in a while and some people can have whole conversations with just themselves. Which, btw isn’t a conversation.
So, when meeting new people try to ask questions and wait for questions to be asked. Listen and respond. Don’t be a bigot and take it lightly. A little self deprecating humor goes a long way as long as you don’t go too far. Then it gets weird and you have to create a blog…..too soon.
Don’t make friends at a bar or on a dating site
I have met a ton of super friendly and cool people who can’t meet other people in cities. For a while I was pretty confused, but I think the main problem that they were having was the where. Now while it is possible, one of the few places to meet longtime friends is at a bar. Bars are very specific social spaces and typically not places where approaching someone is going to offer a friends only intention. Hitting on someone in a bar is the only place that can’t be misconstrued as sexual harassment. Its societies okay place for you to hit on someone. Sadly, too few of us seem to be aware of that and decide that its open season everywhere, but yes the bar is when hunting is allowed.
The same can be said for online dating websites and hook up apps. Look doing something stupid doesn’t make you a stupid person...it makes what you did stupid and looking for “friendship” on a hook up or dating site is stupid. This isn’t to say that friendship can’t come out of it, but to expect it is kind of silly...seriously.
Google is mother, Google is father.
One day Apple and Google will team up to run your lives for you. They’ll pick your mate and raise your kids….until then I suggest that you try using the internet to find some groups. The prospect of meeting anyone in a private place doesn’t sound safe, but groups that meet in public are pretty awesome. For example, http://www.meetup.com/cities/us/ny/new_york/. Your welcome. I haven’t used the site myself but it seems to have a ton of options. Now if you work on the two hints that I’ve given you and still have no luck...then fuck it. I’ll be your friend. If you live in New York City, we can hang. Until then, just remember that you’re awesome!