Meeting New People The Easy Way

There comes a time in most people's lives when the old friends from high school and college just aren't there as much. Maybe you've grown apart or moved away. Maybe you've fallen into a rut of doing the same thing every week. Or maybe you've been an introvert (this is me) for most of your life and you'd like to make some changes. There are some easy and fun ways to put a pulse back into your social life, and maybe make some close friends or a life partner, too.

I'll start with useful sites online, since thats the easiest way to hook up with like minded types. Sometimes it can be too easy however, make sure you don't let virtual connections take the place of the 3-D kind.

The first and probably obvious place to go is MySpace, the inescapable social networking site. You can be as open or as anonymous as you like while you're getting to know people. Search for people in your city with the same interests and backgrounds. If you haven't already listed a profile you may as well do it now. My daughter's 50 year old teacher has one. Pretty soon not having one will be just like not having a cell phone - if you don't have one, how are people supposed to find you? But be careful and use common sense - don't use it to badmouth exes or your job.

I prefer Meetup.com just a bit more than MySpace. Being at the computer reminds me too much of my inbox and to-do list, and it's too easy to let potential friendships linger online. Check in here and do a search for meetups in your area. There are literally hundreds in most large cities and individual groups focusing on a wide range of topics. Find yourself a little reluctant to get out there? Do a search on shyness! Or book clubs or dodgeball (a little agression/adrenaline works wonders) or whatever else you want to try. Life's too short to be bored every weekend. Here you can also create a profile, add friends, and stay in touch by message board before you jump into a meet. Meeting people while engaged in an activity is great because you already know you have something in common and there's less pressure to flirt. Some groups recquire membership dues, but you can almost always drop in on a meet before you decide to join.