Making friends as an adult
Go where people gather around something you like, show up more than once, and be the one who invites. It takes a few tries before you can tell if someone wants to be friends.
You'll need
- One interest you'd do with other people
- Your calendar
What to know
- Start with people you already know a little: old coworkers, classmates, people you enjoyed at a party (Mayo Clinic).
- Join something recurring: a club, class, team or volunteer shift (Mayo Clinic).
- Invite someone for coffee or lunch. When you're invited, say yes, and return the invite (Mayo Clinic).
- Keep at it. You may need to suggest plans a few times before you can tell (Mayo Clinic).
Watch out. Online groups can help, but research suggests social media doesn't always lead to closer offline friendships (Mayo Clinic).
Good to know
Quality over quantity
How good your friendships are counts more than how many you have (Mayo Clinic).
It's a health issue
The U.S. Surgeon General reports that adults who often feel lonely are more than twice as likely to develop depression (HHS).
Connection protects
The CDC says stronger social bonds are linked to longer, healthier lives (CDC).
Sources
- Mayo Clinic Friendships: enrich your life and improve your health
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Surgeon General's advisory on social connection
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention About social connectedness
Lesson R2.1 · Last checked October 2, 2026 against the sources listed. See a mistake?
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