I’ve been really into the idea of offline social clubs and meetups lately. They are nothing new, they just seem to have been somewhat forgotten as digital life started to become more alluring than the analog. We keep hearing about the loneliness epidemic (and generally the universal difficulty of finding friends in adulthood), and starting my own offline social clubs have been one simple and effective antidote for finding more human connection and meaning. They combine recurring social interaction with a hobby or purpose, so I can reconnect with forgotten offline hobbies while finding friends in the place I live.
My friend and I decided to start a language exchange in our town this fall, because we are both expats trying to improve our French and we had often heard locals expressing interest in improving their English. We thought a weekly language exchange would be a casual way for both groups to practice a language, and at the same time we could meet interesting people who live near us.
Because the language exchange has been so rewarding, I started thinking about other meetups and social clubs I could start next year and I will share the list I made here.
- Board game club
- Walking, running, hiking club
- Book club
- Improv club
- Poetry club
- Writing club
- Arts, crafts, painting club
- Potluck/dinner club
- Language exchange
- Any interest-based club (i.e. vegan or vegetarian club)
- Clothing, gear, book, plant swap
- Dog play/walking club
- Baby/kid play group
- New parent support group
- A band!
- Volunteer club
- Pickleball/padel club
- Fitness club
- Any other sport group (swimming, basketball, soccer…)
- Skill share club
- Networking club
- Co-working club
- Public speaking club
- Storytelling sessions
- No-phone hangout
- Speed-friending (like speed dating, but for making friends)