Making friends is difficult , especially if you ’ve just moved to a blade - unexampled city . And you ferment from home . And you have strange interest . And you sleep unconventional hours .
receive to my life . I of late displace to Los Angeles on a whim , and , as a freelance author , I ’m not exactly the kind of someone who has the sumptuousness of meeting masses organically ( for instance at work ) . So , after a few weeks of loneliness and hanging out constantly with my only LA - based friend , I decided to take matters into my own hands — or rather , on my telephone .
As it turn out , there are several apps for meeting new people and fix new supporter , whether you ’re a neophyte in an unfamiliar town or a recluse with no social life . alas , a lot of these apps do n’t actually lick .
Skout , for exemplar , is an app that connects you with random nearby locals for gossip and meeting up ( if you want to ) . It ’s great for places with tons of people who are in the same boat as you , like college campus . However , I prove Skout for a few week and the numeral of hoi polloi who wanted to play me in a strictly platonic way waszero . ( The number of people who wanted to receive me in a not - so - platonic way , on the other helping hand , was approximately 8422 . ) Other “ acquaintance - making ” apps fall into the same trap — strain on-line schmoose and social web - style profiles rather than actual - life meet - ups — and are thus utilitarian only as dating apps .
That said , I did observe five apps that were n’t thinly obscure date apps — apps thatactuallyhelped me make friends ! If you ’re looking to satisfy some new , cool citizenry , you ’ll want to check these out .
Meetup
Use Meetup to find radical bodily process that interest you . A felicitous minute for lady gamers ? matter me in !
If you ’re dead define on finding purely platonic relationships based around share interests , well , welcome toMeetup(free;iOSandAndroid ) .
Meetup is a social service that let you organize and join local , real - life history “ meetups ” for people who portion out your interests . Meetup groups range from broad ( “ DTLA Happy Hour Crew ” ) to specific ( “ The Real Time Lords of Orange County ” ) , so there ’s a reasonably safe chance you ’ll determine one tailored to your finicky interests . If you ’re not sure where to take off , try looking for Meetups for your demographic ( “ 20 - Something Ladies of LA ” ) , workout or bodily function - based Meetups ( “ Los Angeles Trail Running Meetup ” ) , or , if you have a firedog or a kid , play - engagement Meetups ( “ Southern California French Bulldog Crew , ” “ Active Moms With Awesome Kids Club ” ) .
The Meetup app shows upcoming Meetups that you ’ve RSVP’d to , notification , and a quick snapshot of the issue of Meetups find in your groups and nearby . you could also fall in or result groups from within the app , and check your pool meetup calendar to see what events are derive up . Its ready to hand messaging feature net ball you send and find messages from other member of your group , too .
Meetup is one of the most effective apps for meeting friends — where by “ friends , ” I intend citizenry who have no interest in date stamp you ( unless you happen to join a “ singles ” Meetup group ) . Because the service focuses on meeting hoi polloi in real - aliveness , the app itself is more of a handy way to find the group , rather than a social networking app you ’ll spend hours chatting aside on .
Peoplehunt
Meetup is a lowly - pressure way to run into unexampled acquaintance because you meet in a group scene . But if you ’re not really a group setting kind of person , Meetup can be nerve-wracking , since groups of alien ( even stranger with like involvement ) commonly ply more to extroverted , outgoing people .
If one - on - one resort sessions are more up your alley , check out Peoplehunt .
If you opt to receive people one - on - one , Peoplehunt(free;iOS ) is an app that connects individuals with reciprocal — not of necessity divvy up — interests . For instance , Peoplehunt can help you find someone to practice Spanish with , or someone who knows a destiny about online merchandising , or someone who can teach you how to cook . While Peoplehunt does n’t stress tangible - life meetings as much as Meetup does , it is activeness - based ( and many of the bodily function are activities you ca n’t do via on-line chat ) .
Here ’s how it act : You sign into the app with Facebook ( you must have Facebook , to prove you ’re a “ substantial ” person ) and pluck several interests you have or thing you desire to do . These include things like “ sing in an indie banding , ” “ practise Spanish , ” and “ make money well . ” You then select where you desire to learn to do these thing ( you may pick your urban center , or you may peck another city — for lesson , if you ’re traveling to Buenos Aires and you ’d like to discover someone to practice Spanish with in Argentina ) .
Next , you opt what you could serve people with — things like “ write jokes , ” “ build an iOS app , ” and “ get set out on the guitar , ” and recount Peoplehunt what story of expertise you have in each interest you ’ve select . Then Peoplehunt correspond you with people who can learn what you want to ascertain , who require to memorise what you may learn , and who are nearby .
Peoplehunt is a cool idea , but its internet is still passably modest . The app has reach — people are using it all over the world — but there are only a smattering of citizenry in each city who can help oneself you with any given task . For example , I take “ make an iOS app ” and only 18 masses in San Francisco popped up as being able-bodied to help . Still , once Peoplehunt gets underway , it should be an awesome app for get together with and meeting new the great unwashed .
Foursquare
If you want to play people who populate around you ( like … your neighbors , or the cool kids who frequent your corner java shop ) , social networks are the path to go . One of the easiest ways to get inundated into the local social scene is to follow local stage business , restaurants , stores , and heck , even apartment complexes , on Twitter , Instagram , and Facebook . They ’ll be you back ( local businesseslovesocial media ) , and then other people in the area will take note of your societal presence .
Foursquare can do more than just enjoin you where to find some cause of death fish tacos . It severalize you where all the hot spots are , where you’re able to hopefully meet other people with similar interests .
Trust me , this in reality work .
But if you ’re look for an app that can help you find location - based champion , Foursquare(free;iOSandAndroid ) is where it ’s at . Although Foursquare used to be in the main a substantiation - in app — used for bragging to your Facebook friends that you ’re strike up a trendy hot spot — itrecently revamped its Mobile River appto include Yelp - similar features that aid you recover coolheaded places free-base on your interests . ( If you want to check - in to these cool places , you ’ll need Foursquare ’s new spinoff app , Swarm . Both are essential for meeting people nearby . )
Through Foursquare , you could gain a following and social cred based on your involvement . You do n’t have to invariably check - in with Swarm to be check — you could add reviews and helpful tips to local business ’ Foursquare pages so other users are in the know . you may also follow ( and be followed by ) user , check out democratic reviews and places , and “ like ” people ’s tips and reviews .
Finding champion on Foursquare is a little trickier , but if you use its new good word locomotive engine to find out unique local haunts ( such as that gambling shop down the street that hosts Magic : The Gathering nights every Wednesday ) , you could practice it as a way to come upon organic sports meeting - ups of people with similar interest .
Or , you may just check - in everywhere with Swarm , and eventually someone will stop you on the street and say “ Hey , are n’t you the girl who ’s always control into that Australian meat pie shop on Los Angeles ? Do you justreallylike Proto-Indo European , or what ? ” insistent friend !
Nearify
Nearify(free;iOSandAndroid ) is similar to Meetup , but with less of an emphasis on groups . In fact , it ’s more like a big lean of events that are happening near you , whether they ’re concerts , outdoor movie screenings , hot music , festivals , farmer ’s markets , scavenger hunts , or … Meetups .
Nearify target you to events , but you have to do the residuum .
That say , Nearifyisa great way to meet protagonist , since the more events you go to , the more likely you are to assemble likely BFFs . The app is simple : It asks you to signalize in via Facebook and choose a emplacement to search ( or expend your equipment ’s GPS to determine your current location ) . It then lists all the events occur nearby ( according to the app , there are 11,893 events find in Los Angeles decent now ) , and you may typewrite in keywords to separate out through the hunting results . Each case name features a description , start up / end dates / times , locating , and directions . Nearify is more of an collector than anything , however , so you ’ll still need to go through other websites and apps ( such as Meetup ) to buy tickets or get invitations .
Unlike Meetup , Nearify does n’t forebode you a group of people who are plan on touch up at an event — you plainly show up and , well , do your matter . So it ’s not the idealistic app for actively make booster , but it ’s a heavy manner to discover what ’s happening in your new city ( and you ’ll likely play some nerveless people along the way ) .
Meet My Dog
If you do n’t have a blackguard , you should get one , because bounder are a great way to make protagonist in a new city . But I digress .
masses AND puppy ? A make headway combining for detent owners .
Meet My Dog(free;iOS ) is an app for heel proprietor to link with other hot dog owners . And because dogs ca n’t use mobile phones , this app basically requires real - life history meet - ups . Meet My Dog is sort of like a social web … for your dog . You bestow your pup ’s picture , name , stock ( optional ) , birthday ( optional ) , and a footling selective information about them ( “ mordant brindle Frenchie named after Street Fighter character . Loves manducate on rope toys , Nintendo accountant , and designer brake shoe ” ) .
The app has a walk tracker ( employ it to track your daily walk on a map ) , a “ nearby dogs ” feature , and a Old World chat feature . you may browse nearby dogs and charge their owners protagonist request if you want to chat with them and eventually meet up .
I admit that a social connection for dogs is a short … far - fetched , but this app has actually been great for meeting Friend , because domestic dog proprietor ( especially breed - specific dog owners)loveto meet up . I have two small dogs , include a French English bulldog who thinks he ’s a pit bull , so it ’s great to be able to play up with other Frenchie possessor and have our dogs roleplay together .
surely , some of these methods might voice unconventional , but thanks to these five , I ’ve got some Modern friends in LA … who can introduce me to even more nerveless people ! nitty-gritty PIE and doggy playdates all around .
