5 Things to Keep in Mind on The Journey to Finding Friends as an Adult

Why is it so hard to find (and keep) friends?

Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash

I’ve always had a bit of a hard time making friends. When I was in elementary school, it seemed easy. I had friends in church, at school, and around the block. If there was a kid outside rollerblading down the sidewalk or catapulting down the street on a scooter, soon enough, I’d have a new friend.

But things became infinitely more complicated once middle school hormones and awkwardness took hold. Still, though, I was able to find at least a few of my people — but my friend group was always small, with people moving out of town or to other schools and lunch hours spent in the bathroom at times.

I think most people can relate on some level — once you’re able to think too much, once you get your learner’s permit, once you get accepted into college, and once you find yourself out in the real world, life becomes a lot more difficult. And part of that difficulty lies in making friends.

Relating to others is hard. When there aren’t scooters and Disney Channel musicals to turn to, how do you even start a friendship?

While I’m by no means an expert, and still often in search of friends, I’ve learned a few things over the years on my journey to finding…