How to Make New Friends?

HOW TO MAKE NEW FRIENDS?

Samuel Taylor Coleridge once said, “Friendship is a sheltering tree.” This is indeed true. Our society, for the longest time, has emphasized being in the right romantic relationships, as being with that right person completes the being in you. This has depreciated the inevitability of friendships in one’s life.

Friends, however, are inevitable to one’s mental, emotional and psychological welfare. Good company relieves tension, brings comfort and joy, and prevents you from feeling lonely or alone. Friendship has even been related to a longer life. Research shows that a vast network of acquaintances, in addition to physical exercise, can add years to your life. Regardless of your age or circumstances, it is never too late to make new friends, reconnect with existing ones, and significantly enhance your life.

People believe online friendships are equally viable as real-life friendships. But mostly this never is the case. One may be able to make a friend at the click of a mouse. But there is nothing on earth that can guarantee that such a friendship can compensate for the absence of real-life camaraderie. Online friendships face multiple limitations as compared to a real-life face-to-face connection. They may not be able to pacify you when you are in a crisis or simply may not be able to find a way to give you a big bear hug and reassure you that everything will turn out well.

Traits to look for in a friend

There are many elements that one should look for while making a friend. These traits often make or break a friendship and drive the dynamics of the relationship.

1. Trustworthiness: In any interpersonal interaction, trustworthiness is frequently the “make or break” factor. Any breakdown, no matter how minor, can shatter a relationship. Being able to trust another person necessitates being at ease with vulnerability. If you have problems sharing your true self with a friend, it is unlikely that your buddy will readily agree to do so for you.
2. Honesty: Honesty necessitates that we speak frankly from the heart and with impartiality and requires one to converse with their friends with maximum truthfulness.
3. Dependability: Friends should be able to rely on each other and be there when they say they will do what they say they will, and be willing to speak up for each other, especially when they are unable to stand up for themselves. When people are as prone to let friends down as they are to come through for them, the connection frequently becomes superficial, less interesting, and even resentful, if it does not dissolve entirely.
4. Loyalty: Loyalty is valued early in all of our interactions, beginning with our first friendships. We need friends who will not reveal our secrets, gossip about us, or allow others to criticize us.
5. Empathy: Empathy is the ability to comprehend what is happening with a friend, recognize how he or she is experiencing, and communicate and respond appropriately.
6. Non-judgmental character: The ability to be nonjudgmental indicates one being able to accept the other with no strings attached and with their whole heart despite them being probably poles apart from each other.
7. Listening skills: Good listening abilities are required to communicate intimate thoughts, feelings, and experiences. This giving and taking is a steady process that deepens with time.

Making Friends

So then how to find these friends? How can we make good friends? To make new friends, one ought to meet new people in life. So, in order to make new connections, one has to think of ways in which they could get out into the world and make new acquaintances.

• Volunteering is a wonderful opportunity to help others while meeting new individuals. It also allows you to constantly practice and improve your social skills. Being in a volunteer position teaches one a huge chunk of details about being and behaving in a group of people.
• Participate in a class or join a club to meet individuals who share your interests, such as a reading club, dinner club, or sports team. The Internet provides us with multiple websites that can help us find local groups or even form one’s own groups and connect with individuals who share our interests and are like-minded.
• Get in touch with your alumni association. Alumni associations are one of the most underrated platforms to find new connections or even rekindle old ones. Many of us may nurture an apprehension to meet our old classmates keeping in mind the embarrassing moments we may have shared with them. However, meeting these people becomes a more wholesome experience when coupled with the repeated narrations of these old tales.
• Unplug! If you’re more engaged in your phone than the people around you, it’s tough to meet new people in any social scenario. While in the checkout queue or waiting for a bus, for example, remove your headphones and put your smartphone away. creating eye contact and a short discussion with strangers is a wonderful way to create connections—one can never predict where it may lead!

Read more Articles on Friendships

• 7 Signs that Friendship Might Be Crossing Boundaries
• 10 Signs of Having a True Friendship
• How can you identify red and green flags in friendship?
• Work Buddies: Why Having Friends at Workplace is A Good Idea!
• The Psychology Behind Long-Lasting Friendships
• The Psychological Impact of the TV Show “Friends”
• Here’s why Positive Friendships are the Coolest Thing Ever!