Whether you’re new to Canada or you’ve been living there for a while, friends are one of the ways to maintain your connection to the community. But making friends isn’t easy, especially as an adult. So, how do you make friends in Canada?
There are several ways you can make friends in Canada. You can join a club, use social apps, go out for a drink with your work colleagues, volunteer, adopt a dog, meet people in worship centers, or visit the parks. Exploring various ways gives you the chance to meet people from all backgrounds.
However, there’s no simple trick to making friends. You only need to make an effort where necessary. In this article, we discuss the various ways you can make friends in Canada.
Ways to Make Friends in Canada
Here are some of the proven things you can do to make friends:
1. Join a Social Club
One of the easiest ways to make friends in Canada is by joining a club. No matter which part of Canada you’re living in, you’ll find that there are several clubs available cutting across various interests. There are clubs for yoga, sports, books and literature, athletics, community activism, etc. So, no matter your hobbies or interests, you’ll find a suitable group to belong to.
You might be wondering if you’ll be able to fit into the club easily. The answer is probably yes as long as you go for one within your interest. Once you’ve joined a club, it’s only a matter of time before you meet and bond with new people. You can get started with a quick search on the internet to find a club that’s close to you.
2. Use Social Apps
There are various apps for making friends when you’re in Canada. Dating apps are the most common, but there are also platforms for just friendship. Examples include Grindr, Hinge, and Bumble, Bumble BFF, and Nextdoor. Social media platforms are also a good place to make friends. You can easily connect with people living near you and meet up for coffee or drinks if you share similar interests.
However, it’s important to be careful with how much information you give out about yourself over the internet. People are normally apprehensive when it comes to meeting people online. This is understandable, and you should take precautions. But online relationships are more common now than ever. Technology can help you simplify the process of making friends in Canada.
3. Grab a drink with your colleagues
If you need to make friends in Canada, you’re probably working there too. That means you can start making friends with your colleagues. Having work buddies is a great thing and makes going to work every day even more exciting. You can easily make friends at work by inviting them to spend an evening with you after work. Whether it’s grabbing drinks, burgers, or just watching a sports game, bonding with your colleagues is always great.
Even if you don’t drink alcohol, you can still go out with your colleagues after work and have a good time. It’s quite easy to turn some of your work colleagues into friends. Since you already see them like five times a week, you only need to make an extra effort to become friends.
4. Adopt a Dog
Another great way to make friends in Canada is by adopting a dog. Of course, this one only applies if you meet certain conditions. To adopt a dog, you must be a dog lover, have sufficient space for the dog, and have the personal and financial capacity to care for the dog. Once you meet all these conditions, you can adopt a dog.
Having a dog is a great way to integrate into any community you find yourself in Canada. There are hundreds of animal shelters where you can find the right furry friend. A dog will help you settle easily into the community, be your company, and encourage you to socialize. Once you have a dog, you’ll find yourself talking to other dog parents to learn new things about dog care. Taking your dog for a walk also means you’ll interact with other dog owners. However, you should only consider a dog if you have permanent residency or are close to getting one.
5. Volunteer
Volunteering is great on many levels. It’s good for you professionally as it allows you to acquire experience and skills outside of your career. But it also helps you on a more personal level. You’ll get to meet new people and make friends across all cultural and social backgrounds with volunteering. If you’re thinking of a way to make friends in Canada while still involving yourself in a social impact project, volunteering is the way. There are several other benefits of volunteering, and if you can make time for it, you definitely should.
6. Meet People at Worship Places
If you’re a religious person, worship centers are a good place to bond with people and be part of a close-knit community. Most places of worship are more religious organizations; they’re also social centers with several activities to volunteer and contribute to the community. You can join the various activities based on the time you have and your skills. Before you know it, your group activity partner will become the friend you do several other things with outside of the worship place.
7. Visit Parks
If you own a dog, you’ll have no choice but to walk it in the park at least once in a while. But even if you don’t have a dog, you should still visit the parks. Canada is an outdoorsy country with several parks all over the country. The people are also very friendly, so you can easily walk up to a stranger and interact with them. All you have to do is exchange pleasantries and watch where the conversation takes itself. One of the common ways to break the ice is to chat about the weather. Everyone always has something to say about the weather.
In Conclusion
Making friends in Canada requires effort and doing things you wouldn’t normally do. You might have to act outside of your comfort zone. But Canadians are generally friendly, so you can always expect a good response.