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When you arrive in your new home, make an effort to get to know your neighbors. You might feel strange, or awkward, but even if you don't become lifelong friends, you will benefit from being on friendly terms. A simple smile and wave will be enough for most people. Stop by your immediate neighbors' homes to say a quick hello and introduce yourself or your family. You can ask questions about the neighborhood (such as trash pick-up days), and can answer a few questions about yourself and your family. If you feel comfortable, you can host a little party for your neighbors to get to know them, offering them a chance to meet you and get to know a little bit about you in a casual, relaxed setting. Building a group of friends often starts with one person. From there, they can introduce you to their social circle, and help you connect through mutual interests. Your neighbors are a great place to start building that network. If you are religious, getting involved in your local church is an excellent way to meet likeminded people. Choose a church or meeting to attend, or choose several and visit a new one each week. See where you fit in and feel comfortable. While some religions have strict rules about which church you can attend, most do not. Look around, visit different churches, and meet with different clergymen to find the right fit for you. Groups run the gamut, from Young Republicans to book clubs. Evaluate your interests and search for a local group of people who enjoy similar hobbies or interests. Social groups often have chapters worldwide. If you are already a member of any type of group, meet with the group's leader to see if there is a branch in your new community, or a similar organization you can join. Some apps are intended for this exact purpose. Meetup, iGon, Weave, and Majikal are just a few that offer groups, events, and local business opportunities. A word of caution, however: any time you meet strangers, be wary of divulging contact information, and always meet in a public place. Many towns have message boards and Facebook groups designed to keep people in touch with one another. Search to see if your town has a message board or Facebook group, and join in the conversation. Some towns have Facebook groups specifically for selling or buying items, much like Craigslist. Although this might not seem like the ideal way to make friends, selling or searching for certain items could connect you to people in similar lifestyle situations, such as people with young children, or people who love to garden. Visit your city's website for information about message boards. Many cities will have these groups posted directly to the city's website. If you are working or going to school, you have a built-in network of people. While not every person you work or go to school with will be an instant connection, make yourself known and familiar around the office or school. If your colleagues are grabbing dinner after work, or having a drink, tag along. This will allow you to socialize without the pressure of getting work done, and will provide a low-key means of getting to know your coworkers. Make use of after-school programs or extracurricular groups to meet more people in a setting they are familiar or comfortable with. If you're not currently in school, you can even consider taking a course at a community college or joining an intramural sports group to meet people with similar interests. If you need help, ask for it. If you need help moving, find a moving service. If cleaning out your new home is drastically outside of your comfort zone, find a cleaning service and utilize their skills. You can meet some wonderful people by simply inviting them to perform a service for you. While this may not be a great way to make friends, it is a great way to get an idea of what types of people and activities you have in your new town. You can ask the people you've hired what they like to do for fun, where they like to eat, etc. Always treat people helping you with kindness. If they are providing a service, offer a tip. If they are helping for free (such as a neighbor helping you move in), give baked goods or a gift card in exchange.
Get to know your neighbors. Find a religious community. Join a social group or club. Use local message boards. Make friends at work or school. Ask for help.