Moving to a new town is obviously a lot of work. You have your new job to settle into, new driving routes to get to know, a new home to set up, a new school to get the children comfortable in, and a new life routine to build. Meeting new people and making new friendships, though, can be the most wonderful part of it all. It can be tough going in the beginning when you have no one to turn to though.
It can be a lonely feeling to know that you’ve left all your friends behind, and have nothing but mild, polite conversation with a new neighbour or colleague to turn to when you need someone to talk to. According to MorrisDibben.co.uk, a prominent estate and lettings agency in Southampton, it doesn’t have to be as hard as it seems. Clients who go through the agency often find that it only takes a few easy steps and a helping hand from modern technology. If you put your mind to it, you get to set up an all-new social life in mere days in the new town that you call home.
How To Make Friends Out Of Your New Neighbors
Open Your Blinds
If you were to try to picture a friendly and welcoming house, it wouldn’t occur to you to imagine one that had all the windows shut tight, with the drapes pulled across. Instead, you would imagine open windows showing well-lit rooms inside, and a little glimpse of friendly people going about their day. If you want people in the neighbourhood to see you as approachable, you need to make sure that your home actually does look welcoming. If possible, you want to even leave the front door open (as long as it’s safe).
Send Invitations
It would be nice if your neighbours would welcome you to the neighbourhood with a basket of goodies, and tell you how welcome you were in the neighbourhood. You don’t need to wait around for an invite, though; you can actually take the first step and invite your neighbours in. All you need to do is to plan a housewarming party and have fun showing everyone what a fun person you are. Make sure that you ask everyone what their names are, and remember them. It really impresses people to know that they’ve made an impression.
Get Involved
Neighbourhood organizations can be a great way to meet people and find fun activities. They can give you a perfectly serviceable excuse to spend time around new people. Whether it is children’s activities or a neighbourhood watch program, signing up and being an active member can go a long way. It won’t be very long before everyone sees you as part of the group. It’s worth giving any kind of group a try, even if it doesn’t interest you. It’s all in service of getting your neighbours to accept you.
Be Available
The more visible you are, the more people are going to consider introducing themselves to you. Usually, all you need to do is to set up a nice seating area in your front yard, and sun yourself. (Don’t forget sunscreen!) Alternatively, you could take up walking, or perhaps walk your dog. You will make it easy for someone to hail you for some conversation. Of course, you don’t want to be busy on your phone while you do any of this.
Ask For Advice
Asking people for advice is a great way to get them to like you. Whether you need help or not, you could ask for things like gardening tips or information about the best schools around, the best bars, contractors or whatever. Giving someone an opportunity to help you can be an even better way to strike up a friendship than to reach out and help them. To be acknowledged as capable makes people feel good about themselves.
Social Networking
If you haven’t heard of Meetup, you’re missing out. The online service offers social networking, but not the virtual kind that Facebook specializes in. Rather, it is about socializing face-to-face, the old-fashioned way. All you need to do is to put in your postal code and your interests, and you’re right away connected with others in the area who share your interests. It’s a kind of “friendship dating.” With services such as these, no one needs to remain friendless for long.
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