Turns out, with so many people moving so quickly, it's actually quite difficult to trap someone down and keep them as a close friend.
First things first, as Toy Story said, you've got a friend in me! So. If you would like to, I'm always very keen to catch up for a coffee, beer, wine, or chat. Just send me an email to [email protected] and tell me who you are and where to meet you. All my social details are in the “Let's be friends!” area over there in the right column, too! For a bit more about me, click here.
I'm also starting an event that will be educational (lawyers, landlords, and accountants will be there to answer your questions), they'll be fun, they'll be casual, and they'll be a chance to meet some new friends in other newcomers as well as some locals! Click here to sign up!
There are also plenty of MeetUp groups based in New York which are a great way to start, or there are sports teams and communities and much more.
If you've got a good one, please do send it to me so I can list it on the site at [email protected].
Dinner with New Friends in 2023
Once a month, 10 people who aren’t yet friends having dinner (and drinks if you’d like) at an affordable restaurant around NYC on a Tuesday or Wednesday at 7pm (with me there too).
How to make friends in 2023
This sounds like a ridiculous title but it really is something different, especially when you've moved from a small town or city to a big one.
The links above are a great way to meet people if you aren't very comfortable doing it yourself, however if you're like me and have no shame, here are a few more tips:
- New Yorkers (and other big city-ers) are busy people, so don't get in their way. A lot of the perceived shortness or nastiness comes from being interrupted or stopped when you're busy doing something;
- Outside of business hours, in general, the people are very friendly;
- If you can make one friend, you can make two. With one friend, you can go together to venues and then approach small groups and be honest. My approach (while already holding a drink) is something along the lines of “G'day!” (really blow up that foreign accent), and then briefly explaining that you're new, and would love to have a drink with them. If two people come to a group to do this, especially with accents, you're home free.
- Have a few quips or stories about why America is different to where you're from. People LOVE this. “What does it mean to get something ‘on a hero'!? Spiderman!?” (pause for laughter);
- Finally, and this one is difficult for many I know, but don't worry about making a bit of a fool of yourself. I'm not saying go get wasted drunk, but you're now in a city of millions, so if the people you approach don't take to you and leave you stranded, who cares, go find another better group!
