{"id":18389,"date":"2024-01-09T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-01-09T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.meetup.com\/blog\/?p=18389"},"modified":"2024-01-16T16:53:02","modified_gmt":"2024-01-16T21:53:02","slug":"a-month-by-month-approach-to-making-friends-in-2024","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.meetup.com\/blog\/a-month-by-month-approach-to-making-friends-in-2024\/","title":{"rendered":"A Month-by-month Approach to Making Friends in 2024\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The feeling of friendship is this life-affirming, somewhat mysterious, alchemical connection between people who find joy in each other\u2019s company. The nature of friendship is something intangible, and something that can\u2019t be forced. However, you can definitely put yourself in the right places at the right times, where friendship is likely to flourish. And you can be proactive when budding friendships are just starting to form. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you need any further motivation, other than the magic of making a new friend, consider Harvard\u2019s famous study on happiness<\/a>. Over a number of decades, researchers discovered that your sense of community is just as likely to impact your overall health and longevity as are your genes. This revelation, combined with the fact that the Surgeon General of the United States recently warned of a loneliness epidemic<\/a>, makes friendship seem more vital than ever. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Luckily, the seeds of future friendship are all around you! Follow this year-long approach with quarterly benchmarks, and you\u2019ll not only make valuable social connections, but you\u2019ll also try new experiences, learn new things, and find yourself growing along the way. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

January through March: acquaintances   <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At this first stage, a low-key and achievable goal is to just meet new people\u2014as many as possible! An acquaintance is someone you\u2019ve introduced yourself to, and often someone you\u2019ve shared a group experience with, but they\u2019re not yet a friend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best way to go about making acquaintances is by going to social events organized around topics that you\u2019re genuinely passionate about. By doing so, you\u2019ll not only enjoy your experience more, but you\u2019ll also increase the likelihood of meeting people who share your interests and values. You might check out Meetup groups like Shut Up & Write!<\/a>, Folk Music NYC<\/a>, or other communities dedicated to sports, meditation, drawing, sewing, and more. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

During this first quarter, habit is the key word. Find Meetup groups and activities that inspire you to keep coming back. And whenever you\u2019re at an event, make the habit of introducing yourself to people you don\u2019t know. If you\u2019re feeling a bit out of practice, learn how to have a conversation with someone you just met<\/a>.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

April through June: friendlies <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Now that you\u2019re starting the second quarter, you\u2019ve established a bunch of new acquaintances and you can start deepening those connections. Think of the \u201cfriendly\u201d period as a transitional phase between acquaintance and friendship. During this time, you can begin to: <\/p>\n\n\n\n