How To Meet People In New York City

In a city of over 8 million people, you’d expect it to be pretty easy to make new friends. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. It can take months or even years to make lasting friends or to find that Friends type of group you’ve always wanted. But don’t worry — you don’t need to download another app that promises to find your new best friend or muster up the courage to awkwardly approach people on the street. Whether you’ve been in the city for a few weeks or a few years, here are some hacks to make those new connections. 

 

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1. No More Lonely Friends

 

This amazing organization, founded by Marissa Meizz, has a following of over 50,000 people on Instagram. What started as a Central Park picnic meetup has grown to be a nationwide tour that regularly hosts events throughout the year to bring strangers together in hopes of new friendships. Events are relaxed and there’s no pressure to talk to a certain number of people. Just show up, grab a name tag, and feel free to talk to anyone there!

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2. Bumble BFF

 

Out of all the socializing/networking apps, this seems to be the most effective. Switch into BFF Mode and personalize your profile. Just like the Date Mode, you can swipe left or right on potential friends. It can be a slow process, much like dating apps, so staying on top of your messages will help you get closer to that first friend date. 

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3. r/nycmeetups

 

If you aren’t a Reddit user already, this subreddit is a great reason to join. Any of its 50,000+ members are free to post events that anyone can attend. Events are incredibly diverse and can include rock climbing meetups, art gallery walks, free concert tickets, game nights, happy hours, and more. If you’re interested in an event, comment on the post or message the member directly. Depending on the event, you might also get an invite to join a Discord group that schedules regular meetups.

 

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4. Facebook groups

 

Joining an online community aligned with your interests can link you to weekly events where you can meet new people. If you identify as Asian, join Subtle Asian Recs for frequent events (some with free drinks and entry!) including dinners and happy hours that often host a large crowd. Similar to Meetup, there are a lot of different groups to join based on interests like sports and movies or on common careers and networking.  Go under the Groups tab and hit Discover for groups to join, or search for NYC meetups in the search bar. Some groups to consider joining are NYC Girls Room, NYC Social, and ACN: New York City. Note: you may have to fill out a brief questionnaire and be approved before you can join.

 

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5. City Girls Who Walk

 

This girls-only walking club meets at 2 PM every Sunday at Central Park. It’s basically like a hot girl walk every weekend where you can make new friends. The organization hosted their first walk in March 2022 and has already grown to 22k followers on Instagram. Events often include giveaways from brands like Aerie and Fabletics. No registration is required! Follow their IG for the latest updates and meet-up spots.

 

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6. Meetup groups

 

This is a typical suggestion for those new to the city and can be great if you find the right group to join. Keep in mind that some events may have smaller amounts of people and the age range of attendees may vary significantly. Try joining exercise groups, music groups, bar meetups, singles night, and neighborhood-specific groups like 20s and 30s Astoria Happy Hour. Other groups to consider joining are NYC Brunch Club (20s & 30s) and New York Friends Meetup. 

 

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7. Better Off Brunching

 

A fun way to meet new people is to brunch together! All you have to do is register and take a personality quiz which matches you to events and groups of people with similar interests and hobbies. Next, an invite for brunch is sent out and you can virtually meet your table by checking out the profiles of the people you’ll be brunching with. Then just show up for brunch and hopefully make new friends!​