Making new friends and creating meaningful friendships has never been easy. The pandemic made friendship even more difficult. Some people realized that they missed socialising, and others were more than happy to go without!
More and more people are returning to London or moving there for the first time. It’s an incredible melting pot of life experiences and cultures, full of exciting tourist locations, flea markets and let’s not forget the street food! Maybe you’d like a buddy for a street food crawl? Someone to send ridiculous memes to?
Speaking of which, technology dominates our lives, and it can be hard to make real human connections. Often, we look around, hoping to catch someone’s eye, but they’re eyeballs deep in their TikTok For You feed. Great! But we can also use technology for good in trying to make friends. Let’s have a look at your options to find your new best friend, whether that’s for the gym, crocheting, walking, or creating a food baby with.
Want to meet new people in London?
Swyvl is the skill sharing platform that helps you network and new learn new skills.
Friends of Friends
See if your friends will introduce you to their friends. This can be a great way to meet people. They may have similar interests to you, and being introduced by a friend makes it so much easier. It’s a nice icebreaker, and you don’t have to worry about “sourcing” people yourself!
Obviously, the prerequisite here is for you to have friends whose networks you can tap into. Colleagues are also a good option, and siblings can be too. If these don’t work for you, read on for more ideas!
Neighbours or Housemates
We know how pricey London life is, whether it’s the rent or the cocktails! Well, no need to splurge on a night out on the town if you have housemates; get to know the people literally closest to you. It’s great to have friends close to home, especially ones who live in the same house as you! This opens up movie and gaming nights, cook-offs, pizza parties, and many more fun activities. It’s also very useful to be pally with those close to you if we end up with another lockdown situation!
Join a Fitness Class or Sports Team
Keep fit and make friends at the same time! It’s an excellent way to get to know people who have a similar interest in keeping fit. A little healthy competition can be amazing for forming a bond with people. Team banter and camaraderie are good for the soul. Plus, you might end up with a workout buddy or two. Win-win!
Two of our suggestions:
Join a Hiking Group
“Hiking, in London?!” Yes! There are experienced hiking groups, such as Outdooraholics. This is another awesome way to get fit while making friends. You’ll get to see amazing London sights you didn’t know existed, work off those lockdown pounds, and connect with people. Let’s not forget the benefit of the great outdoors on mental health, which we all need after the last couple of years.
Our suggestion is the Outdooraholics group.
Platforms/Apps
Meetup – It’s a site packed with exciting activities, from learning languages (including sign language!) to speeding dating and dog meetups.
Bumble BFF – It’s like Tinder, but for best friends. Swipe away to find your perfect mate. We said you could use technology for making friends!
Badoo – It’s largely known for dating, but you can also make friends here too.
Swyvl – Nothing quite like a bit of self promotion. Join the platform where you can trade skills with other people while getting to know them. Awesome!
Taking a Walking Tour
There are fascinating themed walking tours in London, so you’re sure to find something that interests you.
Whether you’re a history buff, foodie, or lover of true crime, there’s a walking tour for you. There are even walking tours based on book characters like Sherlock Holmes and Harry Potter!
It’s a fantastic opportunity to learn something, see the sights, and socialise as you go!.
Volunteer
Volunteering is an excellent way to spend your time and meet like-minded people. Many charities in London are looking for volunteers, with roles ranging from maintaining green spaces to working with St John Ambulance and even raising guide dog puppies.
This site has a neat system to help you discover opportunities near you:
https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/volunteering/search/
Explore Your Local Area
Check out the coffee shops, parks, gig venues, and all the other cool stuff in your area. A quick Google search of “best things to do in (your local area)” should bring up some great options for you.
Go On Your Own
Hey, there’s nothing wrong with heading to restaurants and events on your own! It can feel scary to do things alone but don’t miss out on things you want to try out just because you don’t have a mate with you. You never know; someone might see you on your own and head over for a chat!
Find a New Hobby
Is there something you’ve always wanted to try? Now’s the time! London has so many hobby classes and clubs, and it’s a brilliant way to meet new people, mingle and learn new things.
With the rise in popularity of real-world AR games, this is another great way to meet people as they have dedicated communities you can tap into online.
This is another place where technology is really useful; you can use Swyvl to learn new skills and socialise. It’s the first platform of its kind, where you trade skills, not money. If you’ve got a cool skill you’d like to share with people, that’s the place to be. Whether it’s guitar lessons, painting, or yodelling, give it a try and make some new friends!
There are many fantastic options available to you for making friends; it’s one of the perks of living in London and the technology age. Whether it’s finding a new hobby, going on a cheese-themed walking tour, or volunteering, there’s a whole city that awaits you! You just need to put a little effort in to find your tribe. Good luck!
Want to meet new people in London?
Swyvl is the skill sharing platform that helps you network and new learn new skills.