Where have you made friends since being an adult?

[Musication]

I am very lucky in that I have friends who I love, but are geographically widely spread. Most of these friends I met at high school or university so we catch up every few months between busy jobs/kids etc. I have one friend near where I live that I met back when my DD was a baby, I have just returned from living internationally and having a bit of a hard time settling back down for lots of reasons. One thing that has been suggested to me is to 'make some new friends' to help feel settled, (as well as keeping the old!) so I have a bigger network here. I can see this is a potentially good idea but my kids are getting a bit older so I"m past the making friends at kid groups kind of things.
For sport I'm not good at a team sports sadly, I love to swim and do so but this is quite solitary. I am a musician by trade and do this all day so I'm not that keen to join a choir and do yet more music! I'm in my mid 30s and live in the South East if that helps with any suggestions! I'm not miserable and friendless and I count myself lucky that I have some fabulous friends, but local friends not so much and I can see that it might help me settle down a bit and not hanker after leaving the country!

My advice would be to join a number of different groups. Volunteer in any where you like the vibe, so you get to know everyone. Give it time and do not expect anything to come of any individual group friend wise.

Be open and interested in anyone you do meet. Everyone is interesting if you find their right handle.

Having moved around a bit, I have often found that friends mostly seem to turn up exactly when you are not looking for them.

Good luck, we can all do with more friends.

Church, volunteering, running club ( I'm very slow!) Orchestra ( sorry, not what you wanted to hear!) Horse riding.

Running club

Work, school gate/playdates, running club, cycling club, the gym

I think Partly I'm just figuring out the UK social norms as an adult! I lived in expat locations before where everyone is desperate for friends and you form quite quick and intense friendships in place of family and old friends. It was easy there but people have their own lives here, understandably, and I guess are not always on the lookout for anyone new as people aren't always changing!

Parkrun
Adult tennis lessons
School mums
Rugby/football/hockey mums
Book club
Work colleagues
Volunteering

The majority of my non-work related and non-child related adult friends I met through book groups, in both the places I lived. Either that or friends of friends, although I appreciate you need the initial friends to do that.

Work, mostly.

And a bit through my dc when she was at primary school.

Volunteering for a charity which is to do with a hobby of mine.

WI
Bird watching evening class
Counselling course
Next door neighbour

i volunteered for something and meet mutual friends through that, but they're very wide spread over the world, but i do have a small, core group locally.

I find it very difficult to make friends as i'm rather quirky, and have asd/adhd.

Work
Running club
Baby groups
School mums
Friends of friends
Neighbours

Running group (def not a “club” just a social group).
ParkRun
Outdoor circuits class

Uni
PTA at three different schools
Governor at children's old primary school
Adult ballet class
Parents waiting outside my children's clubs
DH has made friends outside of work at his allotment

Volunteering on a farm
Volunteering for Samaritans
College course in my 20s
Work
NCT

Work
Baby groups
Cycling club
Swimming club
School gates/ptfa
Parents from DC’s cricket club and football club

I have the same issue i.e.having just come back from abroad.In my experience mostly playgrounds and baby groups. But would like to join the local book group and running club. It is hard and you are definitely not alone

Work and NCT for me!