How to Make New Friends in Your 20s (And Actually Keep Them)
5 ways to meet new people, build real friendships and create a social life you actually love.
We live in an age where it's easier than ever to make new friends. In theory, at least.
We can follow someone on Instagram, spend an entire evening watching a stranger's TikToks, and somehow feel like we know them. We know their morning routine, their relationship drama, their favorite coffee order. But we've never actually spoken to them.
There's even a name for this: parasocial relationships. The feeling of knowing someone who doesn't actually know you back.
And while there's nothing inherently wrong with feeling connected to people online, it's worth asking: when did watching other people live their lives become a substitute for living our own?
If you've ever wondered how to make friends in your 20s, especially after moving to a new city, graduating or starting your first real job, you're definitely not alone.
The good news? Making new friends as an adult isn't as complicated as it sometimes feels. You just have to approach it a little differently.
Why is making friends in your 20s so weird?
When we were younger, friendships kind of just happened.
You sat next to someone in class, started talking, and suddenly you were best friends. No scheduling, no awkward first moves, no "we should definitely grab a coffee sometime" that never actually happens.
Then your 20s arrive.
People move cities. Start new jobs. Get into relationships. Develop completely different schedules.
Maybe you've just graduated and realized that making friends after college is surprisingly different from making friends during it. Or you've moved somewhere new and suddenly have to build an entire social circle from scratch.
And suddenly, making a new friend requires something that used to happen naturally: actual effort.
The weird part is that there are probably hundreds of people around you feeling exactly the same way.
You just haven't met them yet.
5 ways to actually make new friends in your 20s
1. Become a regular somewhere
The easiest way to make friends? Keep showing up.
Think about it. Most friendships start because you repeatedly see the same people. At school, at work, at a party, or through mutual friends.
So find something you enjoy and make it a habit.
Join a club on Venga. And no, it doesn't have to be a run club. It could be a knitting club, a dinner club, or a very unserious book club where nobody actually reads the book.
If you're wondering where to meet people in your 20s, there are more options than you might think. Run clubs, language exchanges, volunteering, fitness classes, creative workshops and local community events are all good places to start.
Especially if you've recently moved to a new city and don't know many people yet.
The activity almost doesn't matter. What matters is seeing the same faces often enough for strangers to become familiar, and familiar faces to become friends.
And here's the thing: you don't have to be particularly outgoing. You don't have to walk into a room and instantly become everyone's favorite person.
Sometimes all you need to do is show up again next week.
2. Create the community you wish existed
Can't find your people? Maybe they're waiting for someone to bring them together.
Start that Sunday dinner club. Organize a creative meetup. Create a group for people who just moved to your city.
You don't need a huge following, a perfect concept, or 20 friends to get started.
And if you're trying to make friends in a new city, starting something yourself can be surprisingly effective. Chances are there are plenty of other people nearby who would love to meet new people but don't know where to begin.
On Venga, you can create your own Social Club for free and reach out to us to help spread the word.
It could start with three people grabbing coffee. Then someone brings a friend. Then that friend brings another friend.
Before you know it, you've got a little community.
Who knows? The little community you start today might become someone's favorite part of living in your city.
3. Become the friend who actually makes plans
You know that person who's always organizing dinners, inviting people along, and somehow bringing everyone together?
Be that person.
Not just because it makes your own social life more interesting, but because people love being included. And the people who make others feel included are the people everyone wants around.
You don't need to organize elaborate parties every weekend, either.
A Sunday coffee. A spontaneous dinner. A walk after work. Inviting someone to join you at an event you were already planning to attend.
Sometimes the simplest plans are the ones that turn into the best memories.
And here's something worth remembering: you don't need to wait for someone else to invite you.
When you're the one who makes plans happen, you naturally become someone people think of when they're planning something themselves.
That's how social circles grow.
One person invites another, who brings someone new, and suddenly you've got a group of friends who didn't even know each other a few months ago.
4. Don't let a good connection end at "we should hang out"
You've met someone at a party, club, or event. You got along. You exchanged Instagrams.
And then... nothing.
But here's the thing: meeting someone is only the beginning. Making friends and maintaining friendships are two different things.
Friendships happen when you actually make consistent effort.
So make the second move.
Invite them to something you're already doing. Suggest grabbing a coffee. Send them something funny that reminded you of your conversation.
It doesn't have to be a big deal. In fact, the more casual, the better.
And don't underestimate the power of recurring plans.
A monthly dinner, a weekly run, or a Sunday coffee can turn someone you barely know into someone you genuinely look forward to seeing.
Because when it comes to keeping friends in your 20s, consistency matters more than constantly doing something exciting.
You don't need to talk every day or see each other every weekend. But someone has to make the effort to keep the connection alive.
And sometimes, that someone is you.
5. Stop saving events you'll never go to
We've all seen that really cool event on TikTok, sent it to a friend with "WE NEED TO GO," and then completely forgotten about it.
Finding things to do has never been the problem. Actually doing them is.
Instead of collecting screenshots of things you might do someday, start turning them into plans.
Discover events on Venga, invite someone along, and put something in your calendar.
And if you don't have anyone to go with? Go anyway.
Seriously.
Going to a social event alone might feel intimidating at first, but it's also one of the easiest ways to meet new people. Especially at events built around a shared interest, where you've already got something in common with everyone else.
You don't need to walk up to a stranger and deliver the world's most interesting introduction. Sometimes a simple "Have you been to one of these before?" is enough.
You don't need to wait until you have a perfect group of friends to start doing interesting things.
Sometimes doing interesting things is how you find them.
The real secret to making friends in your 20s
Here's the thing nobody really tells you about making friends as an adult:
You can't just wait to be included. Sometimes you have to be the one who includes others.
Not every plan will be amazing. Not every person will become your best friend.
But every time you put yourself out there, you're giving something a chance to happen.
Hinge famously called itself "the dating app designed to be deleted."
But friendship doesn't really work like that. One friendship leads to another. One dinner turns into a tradition. One random Thursday introduces you to people you can't imagine your life without.
And that's the beauty of it. Your social life is never really finished.
There's always another person to meet, another friendship to build, another memory to make.
If you've ever felt like it's too late to make new friends, here's your reminder: it isn't.
There's no deadline for finding your people.
So here's your little assignment for this week:
Make one plan. Invite one person. Say yes to one thing you normally wouldn't.
You never know who you might meet.
Want to read more?
