How to Make Friends outside of School?

Written by: Ankita Kathad – MA (Clinical Psychology)

Last updated date : March 23, 2023

A school is an important place for making friends and learning social skills. It is an important part of a child’s development. However, it is important to make friends outside of school. This helps to ensure that the person has a support network or social connections outside the school too. This article explores how to make friends outside of school and how to socialize outside of school.


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Chapter 1:

Why Should You Make Friends outside of School?

It is important to have a social circle outside of school so that there can be diversity in your life. Moreover, school friends cannot always stay with you. They need to go home too after school. If you have something to share, you cannot wait till school time to tell your friends. Here are some main reasons why you make friends outside of school too.
  1. It helps you have a life outside school
  2. It helps you get to know your neighborhood better
  3. Additionally, it can help you discuss other topics in life. At school, many of your friends will have similar things to talk about.
  4. You become active when you have a social life outside of school.
  5. Friends who aren’t from your school provide you a safe space to vent a stressful event that happened at school.
  6. You have multiple people to rely upon.
  7. Friends other than those from school give you a different perspective,

Chapter 2:

Making Friends outside of School

Making friends outside of the classroom helps you think outside of the four walls. You need to know what’s happening outside the school. Real learning begins outside the school. At school, there is hardly any time to connect with people due to several activities. There is much academic activity that keeps the child busy. Outside the school, they can relax and feel comfortable connecting. They can share how their day was at school. They learn important skills while socializing with others. Children understand that there is a life outside of school as well.

When you make friends outside of school, you learn about different families and their cultures. This makes you more aware. You become mindful of what is happening around the world. It also provides new opportunities for you. Moreover, it reduces the chances of groups or cliques.

Here are some ways which can help you make friends outside of school:

Visit Community Parks or Clubs
You can find many people who visit these places. Parks are the best place to meet new people. Many close-knit groups find their base in a community park. Moreover, there are clubs where you can find new people. You can talk to some of them and introduce yourself to them. You can even join sports clubs. Sports is the best way to make new friends. It not only helps you to expand your circle but it also keeps you active. You can also look for community events that are taking place such as marathons or charity meets. This way you can get to know people in your locality.
Travel
You can make friends outside the school by going for a short distance trip such as visiting the nearby mountain top or a market. Travel is a great way to socialize outside of school. This way you will get to know people with similar interests. You can go for bicycle city tours. This is a great way to make new friends. You can volunteer for picnics that are arranged by community groups or religious groups. Here you can get to know different people.
Sign Up for Community Work
There are many community groups in an area. From religious groups to social service groups. You can join other groups like animal care or environmental protection groups. These groups not only provide a platform to know more people but they also help you become a more responsible citizen. Here you can meet people who care about the community. This way you can learn a lot from other people. Additionally, you make social circles that often stay lifelong. You can look up these groups online or in the newspaper. These groups are people from diverse backgrounds. There are people from different age groups. You can join clubs like music club, trekking club or a volunteer group too.
Sign Up for After School Activity
Join a swimming club or a music class. Make sure the location is outside the school. You can join a martial arts school too. This is a good way to learn a skill and make new friends. When you interact with them, you gain self-confidence. This not only helps you socialize outside of school but you also get to learn a lot in these new settings.
Part-Time Work
If you are old enough, you can try working part-time. Working will provide you with some pocket money and help you meet new people from different backgrounds. Additionally, working at a place will help you meet new people. This is a great way to make friends outside of school. For instance, you will get in touch with customers and clients. This will help you expand your network. This also helps you build better connections for the future. Make sure that you are working at a good place and that you have enough time to study and for extracurricular activities.
Try Online Networks
Online networking sites have recently become a go-to answer for people who want to make new friends. Online friendship has become a common phenomenon now. Social media networking has become a top solution to socialize outside of school. Moreover, it enables you to connect to people from all around the world. If you are old enough to create an account on social media, then you can find groups and communities with similar interests as yours on the internet. This is a great way to make friends outside of school. It is important to be aware and mindful while signing up for these sites. There are dangers of cyberbullying or being vulnerable to people with bad intentions. It is important to know what you should not do on social media such as not sharing vital information. Running a background check. Sharing with friends and family about the internet friend.
Build a Group of Your Own
If you find that there are no groups that interest you, you can build a community of your own. Such as a cooking group, a book club, a marathon group, or a science club. Use your creativity to introduce fun activities in these groups. You can make handmade pamphlets and distribute them in your neighborhood. You can also publish about your group online.

Chapter 3:

Endnote

There are many benefits of having friends outside of school. It not only expands your social circle but also provides for friends who can help you when you need them. This helps you have a life outside your academics. When you have a wide social circle, your knowledge expands. While it is easy for some people to make friends quickly, some struggle. This could be because of many reasons. A common reason is a low self-esteem or social anxiety. If you are facing any of these problems, you can visit Epsychonline. At Epsychonline some courses help you overcome low self-esteem and social anxiety. Courses like DBT For Social Anxiety, can be very beneficial. Moreover, there are articles on improving self-esteem and overcoming anxiety too. Do check them out.

"Structured and engaging course" Joan

69 sections

6-Weeks Self-Paced

  • Educational Content
  • Quizzes
  • Self-reflection material
  • Suggestions & feedback
  • Worksheet, tips & tools to use

$9.00 $12.00

25% discount