If you recently moved to a new town or city, you might be feeling a little lost when it comes to finding your place in the community. In a time when many of us gather digitally rather than in-person, it can be particularly difficult to find ways to get to know your neighbors and become involved in local affairs.
In this article, we’ll talk about some ways you can discover and engage yourself in your local community.
Start online
Even if you’re interested in meeting your townsfolk in person, the internet is still a good place to start. You can use Facebook and MeetUp to find local groups and events. Trying looking up groups for things you’re interested in, such as a hiking or cycling meetup, a book club, or knitting group.
While you’re online, see if you can find your town’s website, including sites for the local library, museums, or historical societies. All of these sites probably have mailing lists or notification systems you can join to receive alerts for upcoming events and activities.
If you’d rather spontaneously meet some people in your area, check out some of the popular bars, cafes, and restaurants on Yelp to see where people like to hang out.
Get a library card
Public libraries are an amazing service that is offered free-of-charge. Where else can you go to get free books, movies, music, and games?
On top of that, libraries also tend to offer passes to local museums, another great way to meet people and learn about the area you moved to. Be sure to stay in the loop with upcoming events at the library, as they often play host to interesting presentations, classes, and meetings.
Classes offered through your local library are often free or highly affordable alternatives to those you might take at a private school or local college. Man libraries now even host yoga classes and “paint nights” so expect to find a lot more than books and readings on their calendar of events.
Start something new
If your town doesn’t have something that you’re interested in, why not start it yourself? One rising service in urban and suburban communities across the country is the community garden.
Community gardens are owned and operated by members of the community. You can rent a space in the garden or join up with others and share space.
A community garden is a great way to get outside, enjoy fresh produce, save money at the grocery store, and meet your neighbors at the same time.
A good way to bring up ideas like this is to attend your town meetings. You don’t want to seem too overbearing or industrious, so try to just sit-in on a meeting or two before bringing up any new ideas.
Say “hello” to the neighbors
One of the oldest and easiest ways to learn about your new neighborhood is to simply stop and talk with the people in your neighborhood. Aside from making friends, getting to know your neighbors can be beneficial. Neighbors watch out for each other’s houses when someone is away, and look out for each other’s well-being. It’s good to have a kind neighbor on your side.
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