Meeting people (Minneapolis: neighborhood, high school, college)

[MACGIRL07]

I am a recent graduate whose friends have started to scatter across the globe. Since many of my closest friends are gone I am looking to make new friends. However, I don't really know how to go about finding and making friends anymore. I know how to meet people in school and at parties with my friends. But now that my friends are gone and the few that are here are so busy I rarely see them, I don't really know where to turn to make new friends.

Part of this post does intend to get suggestions to places to go and things to do to start meeting new people, so that I can make friends. The other intent is to see if there are other people in a similar situation who are also looking to make friends. It's not that I'm socially awkward and CAN'T make friends, just that I've sort of forgotten how to put myself out there. Once I find people with similar interests, I can generally move from aquaintences to friends easily. I just don't haven't been meeting new people lately. I'm in a rut and ready to get out and make new friends.

[K-Luv]

My advice is that probably the easiest way to make friends in Minneapolis is to hang out at a bar. That idea doesn't seem to go over well with others on this forum but bars are a part of life in Minnesota.

Or, you can hang out a coffee shop if you're not into the bar scene.

If you don't want to go that route I would suggest getting a job in the service industry-the amount of people that you'd meet is tremendous, but people that work in this type of job are usually the kind who like to do stuff. You say you are a recent graduate, but don't mention if you graduated from high school or college, so my advice may not apply.

Other then that the only real way to make friends in Minneapolis is to approach other people first. People in Minneapolis are generally friendly so striking up a conversation with someone shouldn't be a problem. You can't sit around and wait for them to come to you. It doesn't work like that in Minneapolis.

[golfgal]

Get involved in a club, church, activity of some sort. If you like to run, call the Run and Fun store and get into their running club. If you like to do charity work, find something that interests you. You will find people that like the same things as you which is an easier way to get to know people.

[mudgurl]

I too am looking ofr female friends to hang out with..

[talktobrent]

i don't think it's very easy to make "friends" at a bar unless you hang out there on a very regular basis and get to know other regulars and employees. Unless it's a friendly neighborhood bar type place, people will have their guard up and question your motivations. I agree with the first response, get a job in the service industry, especailly nights/evenings. Co-workers in these type of jobs will be social types and probably open for getting drinks and having fun after work.

[Xayba]

getting a job in service industry? what if u already have a job u like, but the ppl u work with are not in the same age group, or u work in a small office with only a few ppl who are too busy with their own lives. is there any other way. I like the idea of volunteering. I didn't know about the running club thing. sth like that would be fun. How do i search for similar things? im arty and crafty, anyone knows of any clubs like that in woodbury, st paul or mnpls?