Making friends in your 20s

Should I make the first move?

I always found it strange how boys or men (I don't know when we start calling them that?) have a massive group of friends from school until retirement. To me, that was a foreign concept because I had never done well as part of a big girls group. My outspoken demeanour and tendency to say what I think did not sit well with the girls from school.

That being said, over the years I have developed friendships with girls that I can honestly say will be life long. But when life gets on top of them, like it does us all, then sometimes I yearn for a big group of friends to spend time with.

Unlike at school when everyone is willing and welcoming to new friends, I find later on in life to be different. People prioritise work and relationships over friendships a lot of the time and if you don't have many existing friends in your 20s then it's really hard to make new ones.

So how do you improve your chances?

Say yes to everything, and I mean everything, even if you're skeptical. Someone from my past reached out to me the other day after a brief interaction over social media and we ended up going for breakfast. It was so lovely and we had a great time and that simple yes has the potential to blossom into a new friendship. So never turn down an offer to make plans with someone new, you never know what might come of it.

Don't be scared. It's scary to ask people to do things or to try and make plans with someone new, but the worst that can happen is they say no. That's it! And, if they do, that's fine. There's plenty of people in the world so try, try and try again until you find your tribe.

Finally, fake it until you make it. If you don't feel confident, act confident until it comes easy to you. Smile at everyone, be friendly and remember that you are a great person why wouldn't someone want to be friends with you?

Know your worth and recognise that having a big group of friends isn't the be all and end all. Having a few reliable people in your life that you can turn to in times of need is all that matters.