One thing that was much easier in school than in adult life was making friends. There are countless reasons why that’s the case, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to make friends now. All it takes is some willingness and effort, and you can make some incredible and lasting friendships. Use these tips and tricks for making friends as an adult as your best tools.

Time Is Friendship

A lot of friendships naturally form as time passes. That’s why it was so easy to make friends in school, as you and your friends were stuck together for hours on end. Adult life lacks that time commitment, so you must put extra effort into spending time with others. Doing so will allow you to create that same level of comfort that comes with spending hours together.

Join a Group

One major way to increase the time you spend with others and gain the most chances at forming a friendship is to join a group that does something you like. Perhaps the local chess team or gaming group could become your new social group. Take a risk and join one of these groups to ensure you have consistent contact with people in a fun environment.

Be Open

One thing that holds a lot of people back from making friends is their willingness to be open. Although it may be intimidating to join activities with others, you need to push yourself out of your comfort zone. If you’re closed off the whole time, no one will try becoming friends with you. You should do your best to actively participate in things with other people so they feel they can approach you.

Make the Most of Small Gestures

Once you break the ice and become friends with someone, one last trick you can employ is using certain gestures to reinforce that friendship. This will help deepen your bond and create lasting friendships. There are many different gestures you can make, like gift-giving or spending quality time together. However, you should be careful not to cross any boundaries and only do what everyone’s comfortable with. It’s okay to take baby steps; a small but memorable gift can really tell someone you care about your friendship with them.

These tips and tricks for making friends as an adult aren’t guaranteed. You might not make friends on your first time out or even with the first group you join. But you can always try again with another group until you find the people you like and enjoy.

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