Grab the Meic: I Want To Make New Friends

Want some tips on how to get new friends and make life a little more interesting? This week’s Grab the Meic asks how to make changes to their life and become more social. Here’s our advice.

Grab the Meic is your opportunity to ask us about anything that’s worrying you. We’re here to listen and give advice. If you want to #grabthemeic then check out this page, but remember this advice is not instant. If you need advice quickly then please contact the helpline.

This article is also available in Welsh – I ddarllen y cynnwys yma yn Gymraeg clicia yma.

Hi Meic,

I’ve been feeling so bored and lonely recently. I need tips on how to make friends and have a better social life. Do you have any advice you could give me?

Meic’s Advice

I’m sorry to hear that you’re feeling bored and lonely at the moment. That must be difficult for you. It might help to know that you’re not alone. We live in such a fast-paced world these days that it’s not always easy to meet people and keep friendships going. It’s great that you’ve reached out for some advice about how to change this situation. I hope that the following information will give you some ideas on how to make friends and improve your social life.

Join a group

The idea of meeting and making friends can feel daunting, but once you get started there’ll be no looking back! Why not think about joining a group? Make a list of the things you enjoy or use this opportunity to try out a hobby you’ve been thinking of. You will get to know people whilst you’re doing things. There are lots of activities-based groups and classes you could try. Here are a few ideas to consider:

• Sports clubs (cycling, athletics, football, tennis, yoga, rugby etc.)
• Drama or dance classes
• Book clubs
• Youth clubs (Duke of Edinburgh Awards etc.)
• Walking/trekking groups
• Cookery classes

Volunteer

Another great way of meeting new friends is to volunteer. Research shows that people’s happiness levels actually go up when they help other people or communities. Check out this Meic article ‘Volunteering – What’s It All About’.

Interested? Then take a look at the Volunteering Wales website for information about volunteering and the opportunities that are available.

Get out of your comfort zone

Getting to know people and making friends can sometimes mean stepping outside of your comfort zone. It might feel overwhelming to begin with but try to strike up conversations with people you meet, both in your daily routine and in any of settings we mentioned earlier. You could practice smiling and introducing yourself in your mirror at home (people are more likely to be drawn to you if you smile and make eye contact). You can work out what you want to say beforehand.

Taking part in activities together will help, as you will automatically have something to talk about. You can then move on to finding out what you have in common, like what kind of music you like. Showing an interest in the other person can help to build friendships. The more you try it, the more confident you’ll feel. Practice makes perfect!

Wishing you luck, friendship and lots of fun!

The Meic team

Call Meic

If you need to talk to someone about anything that’s bothering you, then call Meic to talk to a friendly advisor.

Meic is an information and advocacy helpline for children and young people aged 0-25 in Wales. We are open 8am to midnight, 7 days a week. You can contact us free on the phone (080880 23456), text message (84001) or online chat.