Do you feel like you need to get out more? Are you looking for new ways to expand your social circle in 2022?
If so, then you need a new hobby! Hobbies are a great way to meet new people and make friends.
Engaging in hobbies can also make your life better by:
- Helping to expand your skills: You can acquire a new skill like bicycle riding or swimming.
- Adding fun to life: It’s easier to be happy when you regularly participate in activities that give you pleasure.
- Reducing stress and anxiety: Hobbies act as a form of meditation or distraction from daily stresses.
- Improving your brain function and memory: Hobbies like traveling give you the opportunity to explore useful life skills, like speaking another language. Language learning also improves your memory.
- Helping you feel that your life has meaning: Whether you’re interacting with others, or exploring a passion on your own, having an interest in something outside of work or school adds meaning to your life.
There are various ways to find a hobby that’ll enhance your life and expand your social circle. To help you get started, we’ve compiled the following list of hobbies that are sure to get you connected in 2022.
Hobby 1: Hiking in New Places
Hiking is a great way to connect with nature and meet new people. However, your chances of meeting new people while engaging in this hobby will depend on where you choose to hike.
If you hike in the same area each time, it’s likely that you’ll meet the same regulars repeatedly.
To increase your chances of meeting more people, try new hiking trails. There’s a good chance you’ll come across hikers who are exploring the area for the first time, just like you. This is an excellent opportunity to strike up conversation and find out more about each other.
Similarly, go hiking with friends who already have a large social circle. There’s a good chance that you’ll bond well with some of your friends’ friends, which will help expand your social circle too.
The main benefit of hiking is that hiking groups are usually very welcoming and inclusive. Therefore, you won’t feel out of place even if you’re new to the hobby. There’ll be people to interact with and to exchange ideas with.
There are many hiking activities to expand your social circle. The table below shows some of these activities:
| Activity | Materials Needed | Benefits |
| Document your adventures |
| Provides an opportunity to exchange photographs and adventure journals with your group members Through the exchange, you’ll get to know each other and even exchange contacts |
| Scavenger hunt |
| It improves collaboration by calling upon team members to communicate and find the hidden object |
| Geocaching |
| Geocaching is an activity that fosters team work to achieve a common goal. It’s an excellent opportunity to strategize and collaborate to find the hidden containers |
| Swimming |
| It encourages team-building skills like coordination, strategy development, and professional relationships |
Hobby 2: Traveling
Traveling provides you with the opportunity to meet new people and expand your social circle.
When you travel, you get to experience new cultures, foods, and lifestyles. This is an excellent opportunity to learn from others and make lasting friendships. For example, if you travel to a new country you’ll meet locals who’ll be able to show you around and tell you about their culture.
In the process, you can exchange contact information to keep the conversation alive—chances are, the people you meet will also be interested in knowing about your country.
Tim Cahill, a travel writer, was right when he said,
A journey is best measured in friends, not in miles.
Tim Cahill
Tours and travel companies are excellent because there’s usually a diverse mix of people on their trips. You’ll meet people from all walks of life, which gives you the opportunity to learn about them and make friends. Intrepid Travel, G Adventures, and Bindlestiff Tours are among America’s top tour and travel companies.
It’s worth noting that the travel mode you choose will determine the type of people you meet. Figure out what type of people you want to befriend, and choose the mode of travel you think they’d take.
In general terms, these are the various modes of travel available and the kinds of people you’re most likely to meet:
- Airplanes: You’ll mostly meet business travelers and people going on vacation. The downside of airplanes is that they’re expensive.
- Trains: You’re likely to meet other tourists, backpackers, and people moving to a new town.
- Buses: Buses are the least expensive mode of transport. Students, immigrants, and low-income earners are some of the people you can expect to meet in buses.
- Cars: Cars provide the most flexibility but they’re expensive and you might be limited to only meeting people in parking lots.
- Bicycles: This is the slowest mode of transport but one that allows you to stop and meet many others who are taking their time while they travel.
It’s worth noting that you can’t travel anywhere and expect to increase your social circle. You should travel to places where your most preferred crowd hangs out. Such places include:
- Music concerts: Travel to joints where you’ll meet people you share a common interest in music with. If you love rock music, go to concerts where rock music is played. You’ll meet other rock lovers and it’ll be easy to bond.
- Tournaments: These offer a perfect opportunity for sports lovers to meet and bond.If you want to make new friends in America, for example, attend a baseball tournament where you’ll meet baseball lovers.
- Learning institutions: If you’re a scholar, chances are you’re looking for scholars to share ideas with. Learning institutions like universities are excellent places to meet such people.
Hobby 3: Playing Outdoor Sports
Outdoor sports are becoming increasingly popular due to the many health benefits they offer.
Playing an outdoor sport isn’t only good for your physical and mental well-being but also improves the quality of your social life. Sports provide an opportunity for you to interact with people who share your passion for sports.
Here are some of the best outdoor sports that’ll help expand your social circle in 2022:
- Running: It gives you a chance to meet people with similar interests and develop friendships.. All you need to do is join a local running club like Front Runners New York as a runner.
- Soccer: Whether you’re playing for fun or in an organized league, soccer is a great way to meet new people. If you are in America, you can join soccer clubs like the Atlanta United FC by completing the US Club Soccer New Member Application form.
- Cycling: There are many cycling clubs in every state, so finding one to join is easy.
- Swimming: Swimmers come from all walks of life, so the sport offers you the opportunity to meet a variety of people.
Finding the right sport to meet the right people can be challenging. However, the following factors should help you:
- Your location: The best sports to help you meet people are those that are popular in your locale. For example, soccer is very popular in Europe and the United States while cricket is popular in India.
- The time of year: The best time to meet people through sports is during the summer months because more sporting events and activities are happening at this time. If you’re looking for an all-season outdoor sport, running is always a good option as it can be done all year round.
- Your age: Choose a sport that’s popular among your age group. For example, cycling is popular among middle-aged and elderly people, while extreme sports are more popular among young adults.
Expert Tip: Don’t be afraid to join a sport that you’re not familiar with. Most people are welcoming and will be happy to teach you the basics to get you started.
Start Now to Connect With Others and Expand Your Social Circle
You’ll agree with us that hobbies provide an opportunity for people to connect and learn from each other.
The best time for you to build a new hobby that’ll increase your interaction with people and thus expand your social cycle is now. Get started by picking one of the above hobbies and maximize on it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are some good social hobbies?
Some good social hobbies include hiking, playing outdoor sports, and joining a fitness class. All these activities provide you with the opportunity to meet new people with similar interests.
What hobbies can I do by myself?
Some hobbies you can do by yourself include watching movies, reading books, painting, writing, and gardening. These activities will help you relax and escape from the stress of everyday life.
Can I meet people through my hobbies?
Yes, you’ll meet many people through your hobbies. Many people have even met their spouse or significant other through a shared hobby. Hobbies are a great way to connect with like-minded individuals and make new friends.
