Just moved to London and want to create new connections with people from here? This article explores six ways to meet people and make friends here. 

Moving to a new place is a really exciting experience. As you settle in, there are plenty of things to handle, take care of, and all of them seem really exciting. You visit all the major tourist attractions in London and even discover some hidden gems that only locals know about. You secure a job or prepare to start your college classes. And, you also take some time for yourself to binge-watch some Netflix series when the waters have cleared. 

But, after a while, a weird feeling starts to bother you: LONELINESS. You start feeling like you want to have some human contact and experience genuine connections with others. But, don’t worry. It is nothing wrong with you. Feeling lonely in a new place is nothing unheard of. In fact, it is pretty normal to feel this way when you know no one, especially if you’re a people person and like socializing and spending your free time with close friends. 

Now, as of 2021, there are approximately 9,425,622 people living in London. That sounds like a lot of people to meet and become friends with, right? But, how do you do that? Bear with us! We have a few tips and tricks on that. 

 

Image source: https://unsplash.com/photos/mKJUoZPy70I

The primary purpose of social media is to bring people together and help them connect easier. And, this is precisely how these platforms can help you as well with meeting people and making new friends in London. 

Social media networks like Facebook or Instagram help you broaden your reach and ability to discover the people around you and connect with them virtually at first. If you use your sharing right, it can be a lot easier than you expect to communicate with other people in London. 

For example, you can share pics or videos of yourself in a popular place from London. Or, you can even make a post about how you’ve moved to London, and you are interested in meeting new people and locals. You may be surprised by how open-minded some social media users will be about contacting you to set up a face-to-face meeting or a tour around the town. 

Here are some tips on how to use social media to post locally and attract local people to reach out to you: 

● Share Instagram stories with location tags

● Share photos or posts on Facebook and add location tags

● Search for Facebook groups started by locals that talk about a topic that concerns people living in London. You may even find groups that are specifically created for people living in London to connect with each other. 

Local pubs in London are amazing places where you can meet new people and start new friendships. 

Sure, you may feel a little bit weird at first with going on your own in a pub. Yet, these kinds of spots are almost always filled with people looking to talk to others. So, chatting with strangers won’t be that difficult to achieve here.  

If you’ve moved to a new flat or apartment in London, the chances are that you have plenty of neighbours to talk to around there. If you want to make some new friends that live close to you, simply reach out to your neighbours. 

Start with a simple “hi” and a smile when you meet them. Or, if you are a braver type of person, you can bake some cookies or cook a traditional dish from your hometown and share it with the people living next door. 

It may seem a little awkward at first to go and introduce yourself to your neighbours. But, very soon, you’ll likely find yourself with a new bestie that you can hang out with. 

Volunteering is a fantastic socializing opportunity. It allows you to meet new people while helping others. You can volunteer at a dog shelter if you love animals and meet people who share your passion for four-legged friends. Or, you can volunteer in environmental initiatives and meet other people who are eco-conscious and like to get involved in protecting our planet. 

There are endless options when it comes to volunteering in London. Simply go online and search for volunteering opportunities. Sign in and go there to connect with new people and develop new friendships. 

Much like social media, friendship and dating apps or sites have the purpose of helping people connect. These apps aren’t just a tool to find “the one”. They can also help you find new friends or London escorts for some fun moments. The point is that they can help you create authentic social interactions with people living in the same place as you. 

So, search for those apps that are popular in London and create an account and profile. Make an exciting bio to help others learn a bit about you and start connecting with new friends, dates, or mates to hang out with. 

Another fantastic way to meet people is to take your hobby to another level and join a community that shares your passion. For example, if you’re a gym enthusiast, look for those communities of people who go to the gym together, share their thoughts on the best exercises, or share advice on how to achieve the best results. Or, if you are passionate about painting, simply sign up for a painting class and meet people who share your artsy passion. 

Since this is your hobby, you will feel confident to be in an environment where everybody shares it. So, the chances to make you more sociable are a lot higher than approaching a stranger in a bar. Plus, since you all are there for the same thing, the hobby you’re practising is a fantastic conversation starter from which you can further extend to other more personal topics and get to know each other better.