If youre new to the capital then making new friends in London is going to be a high priority for you. However, having your own personal time is also necessary. After all, moving to a new location is a huge change and, although it affects people in different ways, having time to adjust to your new life is important.
Processing Change
Moving to any big city is both exciting and nerve-wracking. London is no exception; as one of the largest and most diverse cities in Europe, it is full of new opportunities, vibrant communities and cultural variety. For some, this could be quite daunting. There is so much to take in and so many new places to explore that it might feel like you dont have time to do everything. Adapting to unfamiliar surroundings, and possibly new job or university, takes time and it is a good idea to form some kind of routine for yourself that you feel comfortable with first. Initially, you might be focused on settling in to your new home, familiarising yourself with the area and getting to grips with a new work environment. If youre feeling a little overwhelmed about trying to meet new people at the same time, take a step back and just focus on your daily life. Once you feel settled there then it will be easier to start meeting others and developing new friendships.
Your London
Striking the right balance between private time and social time will also allow you to discover the many different parts of the city and its cultural offerings at your own pace. Going out with a group of friends often involves negotiation around who wants to do what and where. If you take time out to explore the city on your own occasionally, you can visit the museums and galleries you want to visit and see the sights you want to see without worrying about anyone else.
Finding the right kind of friends in London
Taking the time to work out what kind of friendships you are looking for early on could really help further down the line. Perhaps you just want a few acquaintances to go and see a movie at the weekends or maybe youre looking for a tight-knit group of closer friendships. Whatever kind of relationships you feel you need, the most important thing is finding the right kind of people to have them with. Looking for friends is a bit like flat-hunting: it might be tempting to take the first one you see but if youre not sure about it then its probably best to wait until something thats just right comes along. After all, even if youre just going clubbing every now and again, the chances are that youre not going to have a great time if you dont really like the people youre going with.
Its easy to feel lonely in a big city like London but spending time on your own once in a while to take stock of all the changes youve gone through and work out what you want to do next can be a helpful and positive experience.
