Making friends in your 20s is a challenge that everyone has faced. Perhaps you have moved to a new city, your university friends have moved away, you have started a new career, or you simply want to widen your social circle. To develop lifelong friendships in your 20s in a way that feels natural requires you to “put yourself out there.”
Here are some strategies to make friends in your twenties: start a new hobby, join a sports club, join members’ clubs, find communities to join, attend a course, change accommodation, use group travel companies, and volunteer.
How to Make Friends in Your 20s
Let’s look in depth at how to make friends in your 20s.
Where to Meet People?
Where do people hang out? Well, anywhere really. Friendships can be formed anywhere—from a supermarket queue to a family BBQ. Let’s look at some socially accepted places that I used to make friends in my 20s.
New Hobbies
You want to look at places where people congregate over a shared interest. Starting a new hobby is a perfect place to begin because it gives you a reason to surround yourself with new people and helps smooth conversations. Examples could include:
- Photography club
- Drawing or painting club
- Knitting
- Book clubs
- Sewing
- Woodwork
- Pottery
- DIY or renovating
You want to pick a hobby where people come together. Individual hobbies are fine, but they do not help you meet new people.
Sports Clubs
Join local sports and exercise clubs, especially ones that require a team or partner. You may write off this option because you’re not “sporty” or very fit. There are lots of activities you can join that require little skill or fitness level—no one is very good when they start.
Put yourself out there, show up each week, and you will improve. Here are some examples:
- Badminton
- Football
- Tennis
- Volleyball
- Rugby (contact or touch)
- Cricket
- Martial arts
- Boxing
These usually have a low cost to get started and can help you meet new people. I followed this advice and joined a dodgeball club. It was mixed-gender and had a great social life, organising Christmas parties, nights out, and award ceremonies—all great opportunities to meet others.
Members’ Clubs
Members’ clubs can be a mixed bag. While they promote community and meeting like-minded people, some can be hit or miss. The more luxurious ones can also be expensive.
The key thing to look for is whether they offer social events alongside membership, such as:
- Mixers
- Networking events
- “Get to know you” sessions
These are valuable because they bring people together and are often included in the membership. Some members’ clubs also offer sports like yoga and Pilates, as well as experiences such as whisky tasting, which encourage socialising.
Before committing, visit the club and speak to staff about the social life they offer.
Communities to Join
Websites like Meetup.com give you the opportunity to meet people through shared interests. Organisers can create groups around niche, quirky, or mainstream interests, and if they align with your passions, you can attend events and meet like-minded people.
Facebook groups offer something similar, but what I like about Meetup is how niche it can be. Examples include:
- Philosophy groups
- Video games
- Language exchange
- Entrepreneurship
- Comedy
- Dance
- Cryptocurrency
- Film
- F1
- Picnics
I’ve attended several groups and met some really interesting people. Most events involve meeting at a bar and chatting, so there’s no major commitment. If you don’t enjoy it, you can simply leave and try another group.
Courses and Classes
I’m not talking about going back to university or college. Many institutions offer evening or adult classes where you pay for an 8–12 week course and attend once a week after 6pm.
These courses tend to be creative or hands-on rather than academic. They’re great because you work alongside others who share your interest, can ask for help, and naturally start conversations.
Examples include:
- Film classes
- Plumbing workshops
- Flower arranging
- Cooking classes
- Baking
- Sound production
They usually cost between £80–£150, which is a small investment in the grand scheme of things.
Change Accommodation
This is a controversial one. If you’re living in isolation—such as a one-bedroom flat or studio—you might consider changing your accommodation.
When moving somewhere new, it’s tempting to choose comfort, but this can limit social opportunities. Consider shared accommodation or apartment blocks with communal spaces.
I met incredible people in my 20s by sharing a house with three others. They invited friends over, hosted parties, and helped widen my social circle. The downside is the potential for a messy roommate, but this can be a temporary solution.
Group Travel
If you love travelling but struggle to make friends in your 20s, consider group travel companies. You and a group of strangers pay a company to organise your trip, meet at a set location, and travel together—often staying in hostels and moving by bus.
It’s slightly more expensive, but you’ll create incredible memories and meet people from all over the world.
Some examples include:
I made amazing memories travelling with strangers, and it pushed me far outside my comfort zone.
Volunteering
Volunteering is another great way to make friends in your 20s. Charity shops, soup kitchens, and event-based causes all need help. You’ll meet people who care about the same things you do, which helps relationships form naturally.
When I moved to a new place, I volunteered for the local lifeboat crew. We met weekly, trained together, and I even got to go out on the boat and help save people.
After meetings, fundraising drives, and events, we’d often head to the pub for a drink and some bonding.
If you want to make friends in your 20s, volunteering is a fantastic option.
Tips to Make Friends in Your 20s
Knowing where to meet people is fundamental, but you also need to prepare yourself for forming connections.
Be Generous
Be generous with both your time and money. Offer to buy the coffee or get a round in—it helps build rapport. Relationships need time to grow, and generosity signals interest and goodwill.
Be the Initiator
Most people are waiting for someone else to make the first move. Don’t. Be the initiator. Suggest plans, create reasons to meet, and bring people together. Don’t wait for opportunities to knock they rarely do.
Make It a Habit
It’s easy to fall into bad habits. For me, it was watching Netflix alone in my room. You need to build habits that get you out of the house and around people. Once in a blue moon won’t cut it.
Who Do You Want to Be Friends With?
When asking, “How do you make friends in your 20s?” you need to be deliberate about the type of people you want to meet.
You can be friends with anyone, but being intentional helps you avoid misfires and accelerates connection.
Ask yourself whether the people you want to be friends with are:
- Career-driven
- Interested in starting a business
- Enjoy partying and nightlife
- Likely to stay in your town or city
- Able to laugh at themselves
Friendship values matter. Knowing yours will help you build stronger relationships.
Are You Friendship Material?
Ouch! the harsh truth.
Be honest with yourself. Are you interesting? Fun? Positive? Loyal? Supportive? You might think you are, but reflect carefully.
If you’re not, that’s okay, you can develop these qualities with small changes. Invest in yourself, learn new skills, and enrich your life.
And yes, stop doing what I did and binge-watching Netflix. You don’t grow that way.
My Thoughts on Developing Friendships in Your 20s
Making friends in your 20s is hard, and it takes more effort than you expect. As teenagers, we had built-in communities, sports clubs, classes, summer camps. Adults don’t have that structure.
We’re tied up in our 9–5 routines, relying on small social circles, and friendships feel uncomfortable to build. You’ll need to initiate conversations, attend events when you don’t feel like it, and put yourself out there.
The good news? It gets easier and eventually, it becomes fun.
You can never have too many friends.
