How can I find new friends as an adult? Mature friends I can do fun things with, travel with, and have a drink with?

[RyanEC]

I have a few friends now but they sometimes feel like relics from my past because they aren’t doing much with their lives or they act like they are still in high school.

I always wished I could be in a group of friends hanging out and doing fun things together but I have never been able to make many friends.

[Cathy7734]

There have been recent studies showing that younger people are much more self-absorbed and self-centered than previous generations. Also, younger people tend to be unhappy in life. So I think it would be difficult to find friends to do fun things with.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/6YP1l39PjO8

[exitseven]

The older you get the harder it is. When my kids were little we hung out with some of the other parents. I coached soccer for ten years and I hung out a little with some of the other coaches. I used to have a tribe of guys that worked out at the same gym as I did. I knew these guys for years and saw them on a regular basis.
I saw on TV today that 4 out of 5 guys do not have at least one close friend.

[exitseven]

Thanks for the MHO

[thathonestman]

The older you get the more difficult it becomes. You are 30, which means that most people your age are getting married or are already and working on having their kids.

Once people get their own lives, they don’t do that stuff anymore. If they do, it’s a very rare occasion.

[Sarahr123]

Yep - my dad had two kids by 29. He was not living the young boy life at 30. They didn’t have fun anymore past their early 20s. And he’s only 49 now.

[Loveydove]

Maybe try going out alone and meeting people. I know Meet up is an app that allows you to find people with similar interest. Why not start there and see what you can find. You can try adult sports teams, try looking through your social media for interesting people.

[AmandaYVR]

Yeah, it gets harder as adults, because we are not in school with so many peers.

Base it around common interests. Find online local meet-up groups.

[goaded]

Start doing the fun things (what sort of thing?). If it's appropriate, take training courses in them, and you'll meet people who are both also interested in them, and at your level of experience.

[zagor]

Do you have any interests like skiing, hiking, volleyball, rock climbing, film, etc? There are often local groups for people with something in common like that. A lot were shut down with covid but may be starting to meet again.

[Avicenna]

Well, the first place to look is your interests and hobbies. What are they?

[Luv2BRealExotic13]

I’ve usually met them while working. Other than the five I have from college and high school.

[Dinosaursandanime65]

Maybe just go wherever and talk to someone randomly. My brother does it all the time

[In_Trance]

Simple

[anylolone]

Go out and talk to people.

[princeofromance]

Certainly not a bar.

[goaded]

I had a friend who used to take part in pub quizzes to meet people. Are they still a thing?

[princeofromance]

@goaded Yes, they are. Trivia nights are very popular.

[goaded]

If you can fill out a team's strengths, it can make you popular. Maybe worth a try.