Don't knock it til you try it. That's what they always say. And in the case of online friend-finding services, they're right. I am not ashamed to say that I have made most of my acquaintances so far through meetup.com.
Let me elaborate a little. Meetup is not so much about finding friends as it is about finding group events. Before I even moved to KC, I joined meetup and started searching the KC area for groups.
For example, I searched for "books" and found some book clubs. I joined one. So far, I haven't been interested in reading any of their books, so I haven't attended any of their meetups. Meetup can be the virtual equivalent of hanging around a new group of kids at school just close enough to pick up their basic behavioral patterns, but not so close that you're committed to engage them in meaningful social interactions. You move like this, keeping an appropriate distance, from group to group until you find a good match, and then you plunge in.
I found several atheist/humanist/freethinker/skeptic groups based in Kansas City and joined a few of them. I found a meetup event that looked interesting - just an informal chit-chat at a place in Westport. I RSVP'd, showed up on the appropriate night, asked for the "Freethinkers group" (as per the instructions on their meetup site), and by the end of the night, I had made several new friends. Those meetup attendees had connections with other groups. Now, I too belong to these other groups.
Just check out some of the good times I've had with them.
Let me elaborate a little. Meetup is not so much about finding friends as it is about finding group events. Before I even moved to KC, I joined meetup and started searching the KC area for groups.
For example, I searched for "books" and found some book clubs. I joined one. So far, I haven't been interested in reading any of their books, so I haven't attended any of their meetups. Meetup can be the virtual equivalent of hanging around a new group of kids at school just close enough to pick up their basic behavioral patterns, but not so close that you're committed to engage them in meaningful social interactions. You move like this, keeping an appropriate distance, from group to group until you find a good match, and then you plunge in.
I found several atheist/humanist/freethinker/skeptic groups based in Kansas City and joined a few of them. I found a meetup event that looked interesting - just an informal chit-chat at a place in Westport. I RSVP'd, showed up on the appropriate night, asked for the "Freethinkers group" (as per the instructions on their meetup site), and by the end of the night, I had made several new friends. Those meetup attendees had connections with other groups. Now, I too belong to these other groups.
Just check out some of the good times I've had with them.
conquering the trails near Weston before the
infamous Weston Irish Festival
judiciously studying my Irish car bomb
partaking
let it set in a bit...
dancing an Irish jig
game night.
trying new styles
drinking with some friends and a goliath
dog at game night
picnic and chillaxing at the Nelson
thinking about another Irish car bomb
a scene from Evil Dead, the Musical
being awkward at the Halloween party
and again
and again
I'm much less awkward when
I am by myself.
Between the people I've met through meetup and the people I've met through YVC, I've made a decent amount of acquaintances. Only time will tell, however, whether I'll meet another Scott or Stuart or Mike.
Comments