Image courtesy: freedigitalphotos.net
Joining meetup groups can be quite useful to make friends in a busy city like Toronto.
People prefer to hang out with those they already know – friends from high school, university, or their colleagues – and are often edgy about welcoming a new person into their group. This is a disadvantage to those seeking friendship such as newcomers or people looking to expand their circle of friends.
Gail* moved to Toronto over a year ago after she got laid off from her job in the United States. She was staying in an apartment with a couple of room-mates who worked night shifts. So when they weren’t working, they were usually sleeping. As a newcomer, she was desperate to meet people and learn more about the city but had nobody to show her around or even to chat with over coffee.
That was before she began scouring the Internet for networking groups and found Meetups.com, a website that connects members through shared interests. There are a variety of groups related to every possible hobby you can think of: gaming, reading, sports, travel, etc. All you need to do is type in your location and an interest, and the website will come up with events that you can attend close by. In case there are no meetups in your area, you always have the option of starting one yourself.
You can be a part of as many groups as you want and will be notified via e-mail about upcoming events or can log onto the website for more information.
Gail who is quite timid by nature, joined a group where people help each other overcome their shyness. She said that some of the group members were extremely shy in the beginning and wouldn’t even talk. However, that soon changed and with each Meetup, there was noticeable improvement. Most of the members are now good friends and support each other during difficult times.
For those who are students or unemployed, there are plenty of groups that involve free or inexpensive activities such as free movie screenings, board game nights or coffee shop gatherings.
There are also groups that are geared towards professional networking and others that help small businesses reach potential customers through direct marketing.
Meetup groups encourage real-world interaction and young people can benefit from them by learning new skills. For example, there are many groups that get together and come up with tips on improving resumes or culture exchange groups where you can learn new languages.
Image courtesy: freedigitalphotos.net
There are also groups like Yelp and GroupSpaces that are similar to Meetups where people are brought together by their shared interests. Another benefit of meeting in a group is that you get to interact with more people and expand your social circle.
For those of us who find it tough to be far away from long-time friends and family during the holidays, meetup groups help overcome the loneliness and include you in fun activities no matter where you live.
If you haven’t done so already, check out some meetup groups near your area. Who knows? You may develop some lasting friendships along the way.
(Name has been changed to protect the privacy of the source)
