Making Friends as an Adult: Why it Matters and How to Do it

Making new friendships especially as an adult can be quite daunting, even when you are seeking to connect with new hobby friends nearby.
This is because sometimes in adulthood it can easily seem like everyone else around you has already settled in their social circles, and there are usually numerous life challenges that seem to always get in the way. Due to these reasons some adults may end up lonely and in social isolation instead of investing time and effort to cultivate new friendships.
According to McPherson et al, 2006, investing in the time to build meaningful relationships as an adult, especially around shared hobbies and interests is a risk worth taking.

Table of Contents

Research shows that meaning friendships are essential for our well-being, which gives us a sense of belonging and happiness. This article seeks to address why address when meaningful friendships in our adulthood matter, especially those build around shared hobbies and interests.
It also provides practical steps for making new meaningful connections as an adult and how one can enjoy hobby interests with new friends nearby.

Why Adult Friendships Matter (and Why Hobby Friends are Special)

As we grow older, we seem to kind of take a step back towards actively looking to strike new friendships as we did as kids. This is where we go wrong as friendships are not just for kids. Meaningful friendships remain essential throughout or lives and offer numerous advantages that evolve as we age. For adults, meaningful friendships especially those built around shared hobbies and interest provide us with the following:

Combating Loneliness: Adults too can become lonely, even when surrounded by family members or colleagues. That is why there is need to make meaningful friendships, especially around common interests as they provide laughter, companionship and a sense of belonging countering feelings of isolation.
Finding hobby friends nearby is particularly essential for combating loneliness that can come from exploring solo activities.
Boosting Mental Health: Research shows that strong social bonds, especially those forged through shared hobbies and interests lead to reduced stress, depression and anxiety. That is because meaningful friendships not only offer a listening ear, but also offer emotional support and a sense of belonging, all of which are essentials to positive mental health. That is why building mutual friendships around a common ground like hobbies and interests is a great stress reliever.
Improving Physical Health: Numerous studies have also shown that meaningful social connections especially those built around shared interests boost our immune system and enhance longevity, positively impacting our physical health. They recommend that we should participate in hobby activities with our friends regularly to further increase these benefits.
Expanding Perspectives: Friends who bring diverse perspectives and experiences particularly through shared hobby interests can broaden our horizons through challenging our existing perspectives, which can lead to personal growth.
Increasing Happiness and Fulfillment:

Navigating life’s challenges with friends, while celebrating successes ad sharing meaningful experiences contribute significantly to our well-being. Research shows that meaning friendships, especially those forged through shared hobbies and interest lead to increased happiness and life satisfaction.

How to Make Friends as an Adult: Step by Step Guide

Making friends as an adult is not an easy ordeal, and especially when looking to make new hobby friends nearby. It requires a lot of intention and effort, and that is why we have come up with the following steps to help you get started:

1. Identify Your Interests (Your Hobbies!)

What are you passionate about? What hobbies and interest do you enjoy? Identifying that is the first step towards finding like-minded people nearby and making hobby friends near you. So, note down the causes and or the activities you care about.

2. Join Groups and Communities (Hobby-Focused!)

The next step is looking for people and groups that relate to your hobbies, and this is where the Hobbytwin app shines as it instantly matches you with who share the hobbies and interests you do. Once matched you can even form clubs and groups within the app such as book clubs, hiking clubs or even volunteer forums dedicated to your interests. Shared hobbies offer a natural ice breaker for new conversations and connections. The Hobbytwin app is the best way to find hobby friends nearby and make friends based on specific hobby activities.

3. Utilize Online Platforms (Like Hobbytwin for Hobby Friends!)

In the recent times online platforms have become invaluable for connecting with like-minded people around you. Apps like Hobbytwin make it easier to find new hobby friends by matching you with nearby people who share your hobbies and interests. You can also join other platforms like meetup or Tinder, but Hobbytwin is by far the only app that is engineered to find you instant matches around you and from all the world based on every interest you like.

4. Be Proactive (Reach Out to Fellow Hobbyists!)

If you are serious about building meaningful friendships with people nearby you can’t just sit around and wait for things to happen. Apps like Hobbytwin can only do so much by matching you with like-minded hobby friends around you, but nurturing those connections to meaningful friendships is a personal initiative. Reach out to your friends and sometimes invite them to hangout for coffee or even to explore a common hobby activity together. Be open to making the first move and initiate contact with potential hobby friends nearby.

5. Be Yourself (Especially When Discussing Your Hobbies!)

Be authentic when talking about your hobbies with your connections. Authenticity is the cornerstone of creating new meaningful relationship, so just allow yourself to shine through shared interests and you will attract the right people who share your enthusiasm about particular hobbies.

6. Be a Good Listener (Especially When Others Talk About Their Hobbies!)

Actively listen to your friends when they’re talking about their interests, and then offer comforting advice once they are done. Show that you care about what they are talking about and you will build rapport essential for building meaningful relationships.

7. Be Consistent (When Connecting with Potential Hobby Friends!)

Building meaningful connections even through shared hobbies and interests requires consistency. That is the only way to convert even new hobby friends to meaningful connections. Therefore, do not fret if it doesn’t happen overnight, continue to invest time and effort because when it eventually does happen, it pays back in countless ways. Be patient, nurture new connections with people who share your hobbies and interests, and watch them grow into very strong and meaningful social bonds.

8. Embrace Shared Experiences (Hobby Activities Together!)

Shared experiences create room for new memories, laughter and exciting experiences, which are essential for sparkling new social bonds between hobby friends. Plan for hobby exploration escapades, whether it’s trying a new technique related to your hobby, organizing a health competition related to your hobby, or just hanging out together.

9. Utilize Apps like Hobbytwin (Specifically for Finding Hobby Friends!)

The Hobbytwin app is best platform for connecting new friends based on mutual hobbies interests as it is engineered to instantly match you with people nearby who share the same activities you love, even when you relocate. You can chat, send lesson requests/invites, schedule lessons via Google calendar, and even share media as you explore your interests with hobby friends nearby.

10. Be Open to Different Types of Friendships (Even Within Your Hobby Community!)

All friendships take different forms with different levels of connection, even the ones formed around shared hobbies and interests. Therefore, be willing to explore different levels of connection as some will be closer than others, and appreciate the unique richness each hobby friendship brings to your life. Diverse friendships provide us with even more diverse and exciting experiences.

Conclusion

Making friends as an adult requires major effort and willingness to put ourselves out there. However, the rewards of cultivating meaningful relations in adulthood are immense as the contribute to our happiness, improved quality of life and overall well-being. From the above research it is evident that the best way to cultivate meaningful connections is through mutual hobbies and interests, especially when looking to make new hobby friends nearby. Tools like the Hobbytwin app can help us build strong networks and fulfilling friendships with people nearby through hobbies hobby interests, which in turn enrich our lives for years to come. To make long term friends with the people you meet online, be authentic, respectful of everyone’s identity and opinion and don’t be scared to put yourself out there by taking the first step. Embrace shared experiences and enjoy every part of the journey of building meaningful connections based on shared hobbies and interests.

Reference:
McPherson, J, Smith-Lovin L. and Brashears M. “Social Isolation in America: Changes in Core Discussion Networks over Two Decades”, American Sociological Review, vol. 71, June 2006.