Distance

Growing up some of my closest and best friends were the ones in my neighborhood and church. In college the first people that I gravitated towards were those in my freshman orientation class. Then it was people that my boyfriend hung out with or I met through my on campus jobs. It is amazing how it is human nature to draw people into your circle that you are in close in distance to.

How much does convenience play into our friendships? Is that a bad thing?

What happens when you no longer are in a situation where people your age are around, then it becomes a little tricky. Obtaining new friendships through existing friends is one way to expand your base. Going to events that the local chamber of commerce or clubs puts on is another. One of the hardest things about being a young professional is getting to know other young professionals with similar interests.

Being in the right place at the right time to meet your new potential friend does not happen overnight.  You have to make a conscious decision to go not go home after a long day at work and sit in front of the tv watching the food network and play with your dog. Believe me it sounds super appealing on most days. But then again waking up one morning and realizing that you don’t have plans with anybody your age for the month, fuels your desire to reach out.

Setting yourself up for meeting people that are like you is important not only in the realm of friendships, but allows you to also develop your professional contact list. The network that you slowly start building is what will set you apart from the rest of the pack. If you know somebody to help your boss get into the door at a new company, it can’t hurt.