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How to Make Friends During a Pandemic

January 21, 2021 by crystal

Zoom Call with Mug

Making friends as an adult is hard enough. Trying to make friends during a pandemic feels almost like an impossible task. However, rest assured that it IS possible!

Relocal community members bravely ventured out to meet new buddies in an era of physical distancing and returned with stories of success. The ideas below are collected from our research and experiments. We hope they will help you expand your social horizons while still keeping a safe bubble!

Prepare Yourself with an Attitude for Friendship

Before diving into where you can meet new people, let’s talk about the most important factor to making friends: your attitude.

Start with an open mind and open heart. Show up and give things a go, even if few interactions lead to long-lasting friendships. Let yourself enjoy activities along the way. Appreciate the loose acquaintances you will meet, including those whom you will never see again. Because on a strange pandemic day, you shared a moment with these people. And these brief moments of connection matter.

Where to Make Friends During a Pandemic

1) Professional Events

While you are sheltering at home, it’s a great time to invest in your professional development. If the pandemic hit your employment hard, now is the perfect opportunity to assess where you want to take your career next. Many professional learning opportunities, conferences, and networking events are now accessible online, and in many cases, for free or low cost.

At these events, you will encounter people who share your interests and professional aspirations. You have a natural conversation starter! Did someone’s intro grab your attention? Send them a message and ask for a follow-up virtual coffee date. Inspired by a speaker’s talk? Connect with them on LinkedIn and request an informational interview. Due to COVID-19’s impact on the economy, many people are eager to give back to the community right now by sharing career advice. Tap into this zeitgeist!

Video chat with notebook open

Resources:

  • Eventbrite is a great place to search for online events.
  • Coursera and Udemy offer a plethora of free upskilling opportunities.

2) Facebook Groups

Aside from being a tool to keep track of high school friends and how many kids they now have, Facebook is actually a great place to meet new people. Head over to Groups and you’ll find communities of people who are just as passionate as you about zero waste living, crafting, propagating succulents, or whatever else tickles your soul. Some groups are geographically based, therefore increasing the chance of an online connection extending offline.

With any group situation, it can be helpful to lurk and observe the culture of the group before deciding if it’s for you. When you’re ready, introduce yourself, comment on other people’s posts, and amp up your activity. Another tip for fulfilling engagement is to be helpful! Answer people’s questions, share resources, and spread kindness. We are in a pandemic after all, and a little kindness goes a long way.

Resources:

  • Buy Nothing Groups are places for neighbours to borrow, lend, and share. It’s a hyper local movement so it’s likely you’ll meet real-life friends!
  • Not a Facebook user? Meetup can be an alternative to find like-minded people in your area.

3) Volunteering

The pandemic has been especially tough for non-profits and community organizations serving vulnerable populations. Many are struggling to serve more people with less resources. So why not lend a helping hand by volunteering? Some volunteer opportunities such as mentoring or fundraising can even be done remotely. It’s likely you will meet good-natured people in the process, and good people tend to make good friends.

Two people carrying groceries from trunk of car

On a less formal basis, you could also volunteer to help out a neighbour by delivering groceries or tutoring their kids. If you have the skills to help a small business move online, that gesture can have huge ripple effects. Get creative with how you can share your skills, time, and talent!

Resources:

  • If you’re in Canada, Volunteer Canada and Charity Village are places where you can find volunteer opportunities.
  • Going back to Facebook Groups, one of the most effective ways to find a local volunteering opportunity is to post to a neighbourhood group.

4) Small Group Workshops

In order to adapt to the times, many small businesses are now offering online services. If you have always wanted to learn watercolour painting, see if a local art studio is teaching through Zoom. If you miss going to the gym, maybe you can join a virtual bootcamp with a local trainer. The more you show up, the more you will get to know your workshop host and fellow attendees. All the while, you are helping entrepreneurial service providers continue to make a living during an economically challenging time.

Resources:

  • Check out #buylocal hashtags (or versions of it) for your local area.
  • Relocal community friends Hey Shauna Art Therapy and It Just Flows Calligraphy both have online offerings.

Once you’ve made new connections, be sure to stay in touch and follow up! Friendships grow over time so keep showing up with an open mind and open heart.

Be Friends with Us!

The Relocal Community is a group of people who enjoy learning and creating special moments together. We like to move slowly and curiously, because we believe meaningful connections can’t be rushed. You can follow @relocal.ca on Instagram or subscribe to the Relocal newsletter to get details about our next gathering.

Crystal Lee, Relocation Life & Career Coach

Crystal Lee is a relocation life & career coach, community builder, and metaphor lover. As the founder of Relocal, Crystal currently promotes empowerment and community through delightful, do-it-yourself activities and group workshops. Her latest publication is a self-care activity book called Stay-At-Home Delight.

Filed Under: Community, Connections

Q&A with Julie

August 26, 2019 by crystal

Relocal Strathcona Tour

Where did you call home before Vancouver?

I’m originally from France. Before moving to Vancouver, I lived in the Champagne region of France, in the town of Epernay which is the self-proclaimed “Capitale du Champagne”… Champagne comes out of the tap in Epernay. No, I’m kidding, but I did drink it at least once a week! Every gathering is an occasion to drink Champagne in Epernay! I really learned to appreciate and enjoy it too, I found that not all Champagnes taste the same, they all have their specificity. 

How long have you been in Vancouver?

I moved to Vancouver in April 2017, so I’ve been living here a little over 2 years now.

What drew you to Vancouver?

The weather, mild for Canada: the not-too-cold winters and not-too-hot summers, the myriad possibilities for outdoor activities with the Pacific Ocean and the mountains, the laid-back West Coast atmosphere, the fact that it’s an Anglophone city – I learned English at a young age while living in the US for several years and I wanted to practice English in a professional setting. The Green City Action Plan also attracted me because I work in sustainability and I thought there might be compelling job opportunities for me here.

What is your favourite thing about Vancouver, and why? (can be an activity, location, event, etc.)

Compared to where I come from, I find people for the most part very open-minded and accepting here. I find that overall, there is a lot more respect and tolerance than in France, it makes me feel safe and that I can just be myself on a day-to-day basis without fear of being judged. I am learning about all kinds of differences and it opened my mind that much more.

In the beginning, what got you to attend a Relocal event?

I met Crystal at a Social Impact Support Group event at the Hive (coworking space on West Hastings Street) and we have been friends ever since! I have kind of followed the making of Relocal since its inception, I believe I’m one of the early Relocal enthusiasts and participated in the very first outing. 

What is the best thing you have gotten out of Relocal so far?

I love that the spirit of Relocal events is about fostering connections and sharing, it allows me to discover new neighbourhoods while meeting like-minded people and supporting local businesses. It’s those 3 things blended together: place-based, values-aligned and like-minded.

Not to mention Crystal is a wealth of great recommendations around the city! Relocal has definitely helped me feel better integrated in this foreign city.

What is one tip you have for someone who is new to Vancouver?

Not one tip but three: get out there, talk to people and be curious!

Filed Under: Community

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