Young Adults Join Clubs to Make Friends

By Liana Walker

Topic: Relationships

Friday, 26 June 2026, at 4:30 am

More people are joining groups to make friends as social dynamics change.

Amy Lute was very nervous when she met a group of strangers at a bar in Brisbane's West End.

Amy usually worked on Fridays and Saturdays, so she didn't have many friends outside of work.

But when she met the group, she felt comfortable because they all wanted to play games and make friends.

Amy said, 'I was so nervous, but I felt comfortable right away.'

Everyone in the group wanted to talk to each other.

Amy quickly felt at ease with the group of strangers.

There are many events where adults can meet new friends.

Some events, like game nights, cost money to attend.

They played games like Pictionary at the event.

Many people thought the $35 fee was worth it because the event was well-organized.

Sarah McConnochie was one of the more outgoing people in the room.

She moved to Brisbane from New Zealand a month ago and wanted to meet new people.

Sarah said she gets homesick and meeting new people helps her feel better.

She has been trying to meet new people by attending social events.

Research shows it takes a few weeks to develop a casual friendship.

The study also found that the type of time spent together is important for developing close friendships.

Peter Frazer met like-minded people in a group that picks up trash.

Peter met a group of strangers to pick up trash on a Saturday morning.

After a long-term relationship ended, Peter realized his social circle was small.

He didn't make many friends outside of his relationship, so it was hard to meet people after they broke up.

The group that picked up trash had people of all ages.

Peter said the group's shared interest in the environment helped them connect.

It's interesting to meet people at different stages of life, Peter said.

Jackie Taggart and Mark Adarlo started talking while drinking coffee.

They met through the trash-picking group.

Mark said it was hard to see his coworkers outside of work because they had families.

He found it hard to make time to catch up with friends because they had different priorities.

Mark looked for social groups in Brisbane and found the trash-picking group.

He liked the group because they did community service and gave back to the community.

Mark said he liked being able to give back to the community.

Jackie said her friendships were changing as people got married and started families.

A study found that people's contact with friends decreases as they get older.

The study also found that younger generations are more likely to stay in touch with friends.

Jackie said it's hard to meet new people because there aren't many public spaces to do so.

She said it's challenging to find people who are open to new friendships.

As Jackie got older, she realized she didn't have as much time for new friendships.

Many Australians are experiencing loneliness and social isolation.

Ed Bahadori and Malav Patel feel like they've known each other for years.

Malav moved to Australia seven years ago and had a small social network.

He said it was easy to make excuses not to go out and meet new people.

But Malav said it's essential to make an effort to show up and meet new people.

He gets up early to attend the trash-picking group and meet new people.

If you don't make an effort, friendships will fade, and you'll feel lonely.

Malav said people want to go out, but sometimes it's not possible.

Just showing up can help, even if it's exhausting.

Ed Bahadori said there are social pressures on men to be isolated and stoic.

The Rubbish Club is a social and environmental group.

Ed said it's good to see people finally making an effort to be social and make friends.

Ed has made new friends, including Ethan, since joining the group.

Amy has made plans to meet up with her new friends again.

After playing a game, Amy said she might have made some enemies.

Friday, 26 June 2026, at 4:30 am

Friday, 26 June 2026, at 7:23 am

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