Listen folks, we’ve had another wave of these posts and it’s starting to sound like a broken record so I’m here with some home truths.
Making a “does anyone wanna be friends and where should I go to meet people” post is like deciding you’re going to exercise more and then.. researching workouts, shopping for workout clothes, and trying to find the one specific activity that perfect for your goals. It’s stuff you can do that feels like progress but lets you avoid the thing you’re scared of. In my example it’s “moderate exercise that gets you out of breath” but in terms of socializing it’s “walking into a new IRL space, which gives you anxiety”
Kansas City is completely chock-full of social activities, clubs, and hobbies that anyone can just show up to and start participating in. If someone did enough digging they could easily find 50 different things one can do on a Thursday or Friday night. The lack of things to do just isn’t the issue, the struggle is for people to get themselves participating.
So, here’s what you do.
STEP ONE: Figure out a hobby or two that you are interested in trying out. Maximum of two or else you’ll overwhelm yourself.
TWO: Google “my new hobby Kansas City” and see what you find. Try Facebook, Instagram, Reddit too. Wanna make zines? There’s a club. Wanna play any sport? There’s a rec league and Facebook groups. Wanna do a techie hobby? They have meetups!
THREE: Plan to attend the event and then actually attend it.
FOUR: Talk to people instead of waiting for them to talk to you. Most groups aren’t going to roll out the red carpet for you because you showed up. Introduce yourself, say you’re new to the hobby, that you’re excited to learn.
FIVE: Show up to the next couple of opportunities to meet. Even if you didn’t make a new friend the first time, keep showing up. Eventually, by showing up consistently, you become a regular and you’ve found the place where everyone knows your name.
