Young people

Where do I Find Friends?

At some point or other, everyone worries about making friends.

When you think you do not have any mates you can feel very lonely and it sometimes feels as if you will always be on your own. But feeling sad and lonely isn't going to solve the problem. There are many ways in which you can interact with people and start making friends.

By showing an interest in other people you will be more approachable – people will want to talk to you.

Being friendly, smiling and showing a genuine interest in other people is a great way to start making friends. Talking to people you do not usually talk to will also help, as you may find you have something in common. Remember that you are probably not the only one who feels lonely – if you don't talk to people they might be feeling just like you or think that you do not like them.

Don't rush it. Making friends takes time, so take things slowly and don't expect too much from your new mate straight away.

A good way to make friends is to get yourself involved in a club of some kind. It is often easier to break the ice with people and begin to make friends if you have something to do (other than just chat) and if the person or people share the same interests.

Some examples of places where friends can be made are listed below:

Your local youth club
A school club
A sporting club

Click onto the A-Z section and search for some of these organisations.

WARNING! If you find a friend through a chat room on the internet you should be careful before meeting up with them. Before you do anything you should read our guide to safe surfing (a link is on the right of this page), or check out the Think U Know web site.