Making friends after education

Some of the best friends you’ll ever make can be made long after you’ve finished education. You just need to know where to look for them. The Mix explores why the friends you make after education could be the best you ever make.

It can be a strange time in your life – leaving school, college or university and wondering ‘what next?’ 

You’ve lived, loved and laughed (sorry) through those years and maybe you’re wondering how your social life can ever reach those heights again. 

Or, perhaps you’ve found a new thirst for life – you know who you are and are ready to find a whole new bunch people to join you along for the ride. 

Whatever your reasons for wanting to make new friends after education, it can be a wonderful, life-affirming process that has endless benefits to every aspect of your life.

So why make friends after education? 

There’s also endless answers to this particular question. Here’s a few: 

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Just because you’re not a student anymore, it doesn’t mean you can’t have fun, right? Right! 

Yes, you may have more responsibilities as you grow older. However, you also have a responsibility to enjoy life with people who want to enjoy it too. 

We should never stop searching for the people that bring joy to our lives, no matter where we are in life. Friends are the cornerstone of our most amazing memories that we’ll take with us forever. They allow us to try new experiences, be the people we trust and confide in, and our avenue to a whole new level of happiness. 

Our desire to be happy, and do things that make us happy, is in all of us. So if anyone tells you that you can’t have fun after education, kindly show them the nearest exit and start looking for the people more suited to your frequency. 

Whatever you’re interested in and whatever you want to try, there’s always someone out there who wants to do it with you. 

Work 

The workplace can be a great environment to make long-lasting friends. It can also be the opposite. 

Regardless of your workplace after education, it’s important to have an equal balance of business and pleasure. 

We get it – work can be exhausting and could leave little time to make plans outside of it. 

You may get along with your fellow colleagues, but are looking for a social circle outside of the 9-5. You may be working from home and craving that human connection. 

Making new friends is a way to unwind from the day-to-day stresses of working life. To remind yourself what it’s like to be you, and not an employee. 

Love 

What’s the next most beautiful thing in the world after friendship? I’d argue that it was a packet of milk chocolate digestives but many people might say romance. 

Now, it would be silly to think that every person you introduce yourself to is going to be your life partner. However, the odds are in your favour as a whopping 68% of relationships begin as a friendship. The important thing is connection. Opening yourself up to incredible experiences with people who share your energy is an unparalleled feeling. 

And let’s not forget a bit of self-love too. Finding your people after education can help cultivate self-esteem, happiness and confidence. Leaving education can be a confusing and challenging time for EVERYONE. It’s important to remind yourself how beautiful and successful you already are and your friends can be a mirror to reflect that back to you. 

So how do we find friends after education? 

The million dollar question! And it’s pretty easy to answer… 

Step 1: Think about what you like to do – whether it be a sport, cooking, reading, walking, watching movies, trainspotting, meditation, paragliding. 

Step 2: Go and find people who like to do it too. 

Everyone has something they love to do. A hobby. A passion. 

MeetUp 

The MeetUp app is a great place to start looking for likeminded people who want to do it with you. It’s sort of like Tinder but for genuine people who don’t ghost and instead offer a range of activities for you to make new friends. 

Fancy some 5-a-side? There’s a MeetUp for that. 

What about cake-making to coincide with your ambitions to become the next Bake Off winner? There’s a MeetUp for that too. 

The best thing about MeetUp is if there isn’t a MeetUp for your hobby then you can create one! Set your own rules and find your tribe in a matter of minutes. 

Social Media 

It’s 2024 – is there anything that social media can’t do? 

OK, so it can’t do my dishes but it can connect you with a whole host of likeminded individuals who are in the same boat – those people who are just waiting to find new friends and try new experiences. 

Search for your favourite hobbies on Facebook and find out what’s happening in your local area. Try the same on Instagram, Reddit, or just simply Google. 

You’ll be amazed at what you can find with a few minutes on a search engine. 

The Mix Discussion Boards 

How can we not talk about making connections without mentioning our discussion boards!? (Ignore shameless plug) 

Everyday, people across the UK join our host of lively chats right here to chat about everything from the latest movies to friendships to cheap places to go on holiday. Our discussion boards are a safe space to chat or vent about anything that’s on your mind. You may not find those lifelong friends there, but it certainly helps fight off those temporary feelings of confusion and loneliness. 

The world has never been more connected and, with it, it brings a variety of new ways to make friends long after education. Sometimes, taking a step out of your comfort zone and making new friends can be the best decision you’ve ever made.  

Whatever your lifestyle, your current circumstances or your reasons to try new things with new people – the results from making friends after education are just too good to miss. 

Useful Resources 

• I want to make some new friends
• How to make friends online
• Support for loneliness
• Help! I’m lonely
• The connection between anxiety and loneliness