I moved to another city – and found an unexpected way to make new friends | Arwa Mahdawi
While self-help books might suggest manifesting new people in your life or cold-water plunges to change your entire personality, the key to finding a community is much simpler
It started in my mid-30s: The Great Slipping Away. Gradually, and then suddenly, the friends I had in New York started to disappear. Some moved out of the city. Others moved into different phases of their lives: they became laser-focused on their careers and had no spare time. Or they had kids, and hanging out became harder.
Then I became one of the people who had kids and moved out of the city and all my local friends slipped away. A couple of years ago I moved to Philadelphia, a city where my wife and I only vaguely knew a grand total of two people. We were drawn to Philly by its affordability but we underestimated just how difficult it is to build a new community from scratch. As an introverted freelancer who doesn’t have colleagues I see every day (even if just over Zoom), I certainly didn’t anticipate how much effort I would have to make if I didn’t want to become a complete hermit.
Continue reading...Topics
-
Kim Kardashian cozying up to a robot is another example of AI entering our lives | Arwa Mahdawi
World - The Guardian - 3 days ago -
Olivia Rodrigo is right: you shouldn't date anyone who wants to go into space. But I have other red flags | Arwa Mahdawi
World - The Guardian - November 5 -
‘I came to make new friends’: the hangout event where phones are locked away
World - The Guardian - November 15 -
I find it hard to make friends – now my daughter does, too
World - The Guardian - November 10 -
We are witnessing the final stage of genocide in Gaza | Arwa Mahdawi
World - The Guardian - November 6 -
Trump’s win has given angry incels enormous power | Arwa Mahdawi
World - The Guardian - November 9 -
Is Ivanka Trump a secret Democrat? No – and neither is Melania | Arwa Mahdawi
World - The Guardian - November 12 -
Are US women protesting Trump by ‘swearing off sex with men’? | Arwa Mahdawi
World - The Guardian - November 16 -
I am the infamous non-responder in our group chat. Does that make me a bad friend? | Louis Hanson
World - The Guardian - October 31
More from The Guardian
-
Displaced residents return to southern Lebanon as Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire appears to hold – Middle East crisis live
World - The Guardian - 15 minutes ago -
Trump announces more picks including US trade chief and health deputy
World - The Guardian - 7 hours ago -
British mother of Egyptian political prisoner to press Lammy to take action
World - The Guardian - 4 hours ago -
Seoul slows down under blanket of heaviest November snow in 100 years
World - The Guardian - 3 hours ago -
Bolsonaro allies nearly launched military coup in 2022, police report says
World - The Guardian - 12 hours ago