How to build your tribe and make friends after 30

How to build your tribe and make friends after 30 How to build your tribe and make friends after 30 With all the ways there are to  connect  in this day and age, the art of making friends continues to elude the best of us. How does one make friends in a big city? As an adult?As we transition from the exuberance of youthful exploration to the  approach of middle age, the days of effortlessly making friends and casually meeting up can seem like a distant memory. Life suddenly has more priorities, and obligations clog up our schedules. We too  have changed â€" expecting more from our plans and the people we choose to spend our time with.If you have yet to lock in your B.F.F. good luck finding one now. At best you’ll find a go-to friend for a night of drinking and another for brunch. Despite the dwindling opportunities, possibilities still exist. If you’re approaching or well acquainted with your 30s, here are some new ways to build your tribe and make new friends:Meet your neighbors“With the real estate market at its high, buildings in highly dense urban areas have to be extra c reative to stay competitive,” says Nikita Subbotin, CEO Co-founder,  Riseio Smart Building Solutions.  â€œI used to live in an apartment building that was constantly organizing different events for their residents. From Lake Tahoe and Napa Valley trips to sushi classes and rooftop happy hours. Meeting your neighbors is not only convenient  but also smart. Your neighbors most likely come from a similar socio-economic background which  makes it easy for you to relate. In fact, I met my co-founder at the building grand opening party.”“When I was apartment hunting,” says Arianna O’Dell of  BoardVitals, “if I knew the  apartment wouldn’t work out, I told the tenant ‘I don’t think this apartment  is for me, but you seem really fun â€" we should hang out!’ Two years later,  I still keep in touch with this group of  friends.”Use Instagram“I actually use the power of Instagram to  make  new  friends  when I travel to new  cities,” says photographer  CJ Johnson.  â€ œIf they have interesting Instagram feeds or we’re already “online”  friends, I usually try to meet up with them in person. We typically meet in a public place and snap pics together. It’s a great icebreaker and a fun way to meet new people. I’ve made a lot of great  friends  that way.”Smile, someone is watching“Smile, you are being watched!” says Paulo Amara, a Marketing Consultant at  www.treasurefy.com. “Show the world that it’s fun to  be around you. When people see me smiling, they often  assume amazing things about me. I’ve heard hilarious first impressions from  new  friends.”Go without a phone“To build meaningful relationships in San Francisco, nothing beats hiking  without a cell phone signal,” says  Sabrina Attinenza,  CEO of Qurious. “I follow one rule: I always hike with at least 1  person I want to get to know better. Without phones to distract us, we’re  forced to get to know each other. This constraint leads to real  conversation.”“ The first 30 minutes of hiking is usually artificial  conversation about work, hobbies, background, and food. Then, things get  interesting. We run out of artificial topics. We get real: what  makes  us  tick, what we love and what we hate, our crazy dreams, and our weird  habits. I follow this simple rule because it works. And it works because  we’re no longer hiding behind our phones, our Facebook profiles, our  Instagram photos, or any other digital facade.”Go alone (but with your phone this time)“Doing things alone  makes  a lot of people uncomfortable, but in a new  city, force yourself to embrace it,” says Brand Marketing Strategist at  Greenvelope.com  Alex Kelsey.“Sign up for a kayaking class, watch the football game at your local bar instead of at home - engaging in your hobbies and interests solo increases the odds that you’ll meet people whom you share common interests with, which is a great start to  making  new  friends.”Get physical“I have traveled a l ot for work for months at a time,” says  Maritza Huerta. “In the past 3 years I  have lived in Denver, Aspen, DC, and now New York.I sign up for social sports leagues, such as Zog Sports.  You automatically  get introduced to new people (teammates) and you all share a common  interest (sports). It’s an easy and fun way to create a bond with new  people.”Volunteer or start something“Over the past decade I’ve lived in London, Cambridge, Beijing, Shanghai and  regularly traveled to other  major  cities  such as Bangkok,” says  Stephen Parkes, CEO of  Go Enrol.“In Beijing, I organized a monthly networking event. In Shanghai,  it was a pub-quiz and regular Sunday brunch. In London and Cambridge,  it has been about getting involved in the Start-up scene and organizing  Startup Weekends at Judge Business School.  I’ve found that getting involved in  communities is key to  making  serious long-term friendships and business  connections.”“Years ago, I made a new friend at the National Press Club and began volunteering on a committee,” says  Social Driver  co-founder  Anthony Shop. “This led to me becoming a committee chair and eventually being elected to our board of governors. In another case, I enjoyed chatting with a friend from business school about the amazing nonprofit he runs. So I volunteered, and ended up serving as chairman of his advisory board.”“There’s no shortage of great people to meet and ways you can help them. If you focus on what you can do for others, then it’s difficult to make a mistake.”Group chat“I’ve been a Beijing expat for one year,” says Monica Weintrab of  www.newlifeesl.com. “Compared to my small town China expat life, of 3 years,  making  friends  in Beijing has been more difficult, but certainly more accessible.”“Social apps are incredible for  making  friends. Here, we use an app called WeChat for both locals and expats alike. Group chats are huge here, annoying, but huge. We create partie s together, sporting events together, or invite someone into the chat who may have been left out.”Ursula Lauriston is the Editor-in-Chief of Capitol Standard Magazine â€" DC’s fastest growing niche brand and lifestyle publication. A dynamic speaker and syndicated columnist, she has been featured in HuffPost, Black Enterprise, The Vault, and more. Find Ursula on Twitter @Urdiggy.This  article  first appeared on Capitol Standard.