Shared Interest + Consistent Meetings = New Friends?
June 28, 2016 12:40 PM
I want to join a committee, board, or club, and have a regular reason to meet folks a couple times a month to some specific end. Ideally, the other people in the group would be of both genders, and some would be in their late 30s or 40s. I live in Brooklyn. What’s available to me that I don’t already know about?
I want to meet more people, with consistency, to help expand my social circle in various ways, and make more friends. In the scheme of things, I’m still pretty new to NY, and I’m in an age group where options seem increasingly sparse, or they're simply not fresh anymore.
I’d also like to go someplace where I don’t have to stare at the wall because I’m all by myself, and it’s all but impossible to break into a conversation with folks who’ve arrived in pairs. I'm not a fan of Meet-Ups, just to nix that from that start ... but whatever-it-is does need to be low-cost or free.
Apologies for the overanalysis, but I've been thinking about this for a while.
What's Worked Before
In other cities at other times, I’ve had success with things that gave the group a shared mission (Main Streets Storefront Improvement Committee; local zoning committee), and because I liked the subject matter (architecture).
I’ve also had success with theatre work in the past, which also allowed me to see movies and performances for free! But the kind of concessionaire help I volunteered for then is usually a union job here, so I think that’s mostly out, and fair enough. Note: I’d love to volunteer at a place like the Spectacle Theater, but the films are a bit too camp for my taste….
I used to attend a writers' group that analyzed short stories, but that’s a very subject specific thing to writers, and I’ve never seen the like anywhere else.
What Nearly Worked
I’ve had near success with all-day immersion classes, but they tend to not quite be long enough; I also have a friend on the West Coast who joined an adult playgroup, with lots of silly art projects. That always sounded fun, but I’ve never found anything similar.
What I Don't Want to Do
Many of these I like, but not in a group: animals, book groups, dance, environment, foreign languages (done too much of this), gardening, knitting, meet-ups (too unfiltered), politics, religion, sewing, song, sports, writing
What I've Tried So Far
Classes in photography, architecture; special interest meetings in technology, typography, and graphic design; lectures, movies, talks, literary readings, volunteering at a children’s theatre here in NY, which I liked, but not quite enough
Thoughts? Ideas? Suggestions? What don’t I know about? What am I missing? What else is there?
I want to meet more people, with consistency, to help expand my social circle in various ways, and make more friends. In the scheme of things, I’m still pretty new to NY, and I’m in an age group where options seem increasingly sparse, or they're simply not fresh anymore.
I’d also like to go someplace where I don’t have to stare at the wall because I’m all by myself, and it’s all but impossible to break into a conversation with folks who’ve arrived in pairs. I'm not a fan of Meet-Ups, just to nix that from that start ... but whatever-it-is does need to be low-cost or free.
Apologies for the overanalysis, but I've been thinking about this for a while.
What's Worked Before
In other cities at other times, I’ve had success with things that gave the group a shared mission (Main Streets Storefront Improvement Committee; local zoning committee), and because I liked the subject matter (architecture).
I’ve also had success with theatre work in the past, which also allowed me to see movies and performances for free! But the kind of concessionaire help I volunteered for then is usually a union job here, so I think that’s mostly out, and fair enough. Note: I’d love to volunteer at a place like the Spectacle Theater, but the films are a bit too camp for my taste….
I used to attend a writers' group that analyzed short stories, but that’s a very subject specific thing to writers, and I’ve never seen the like anywhere else.
What Nearly Worked
I’ve had near success with all-day immersion classes, but they tend to not quite be long enough; I also have a friend on the West Coast who joined an adult playgroup, with lots of silly art projects. That always sounded fun, but I’ve never found anything similar.
What I Don't Want to Do
Many of these I like, but not in a group: animals, book groups, dance, environment, foreign languages (done too much of this), gardening, knitting, meet-ups (too unfiltered), politics, religion, sewing, song, sports, writing
What I've Tried So Far
Classes in photography, architecture; special interest meetings in technology, typography, and graphic design; lectures, movies, talks, literary readings, volunteering at a children’s theatre here in NY, which I liked, but not quite enough
Thoughts? Ideas? Suggestions? What don’t I know about? What am I missing? What else is there?
Your neighborhood group/association can be less political if you choose your spots correctly.
posted by sandmanwv at 3:08 PM on June 28, 2016
posted by sandmanwv at 3:08 PM on June 28, 2016
JCI New York City (probably better known as Jaycees) might be right up your alley.
posted by SisterHavana at 9:57 PM on June 28, 2016
posted by SisterHavana at 9:57 PM on June 28, 2016
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by cotton dress sock at 12:57 PM on June 28, 2016