5 apps to help you find new people you (and your dog) actually want to meet
- If you're planning in 2023 to make new friends as a New Year's resolution, there's a new app for that — a few, in fact
- One of the most unique new apps, 222, calls itself a platform for unique social experiences.
Everyone feels restless and eager to meet new people, make friends, or change up a social life sometimes. However, that can be challenging, especially if you don't live in a big city, work at a big company, or if you're not comfortable striking up conversations with strangers.
A Harvard study in 2021 reported that 36% of Americans reported feeling lonely frequently. The pandemic didn't help, potentially causing even more people to feel isolated.
But for those resolving to make new friends in 2023, there's help from some new apps and platforms designed to help connect those living near each other with similar interests.
Here are five new apps to check out.
According to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, more than one-third of adults, 45 and older feel lonely. A new platform called Hank helps give older adults, 55 and up, opportunities to make friends through local events.
The platform, which is free, allows users to create a profile and connect with age-verified people with similar interests living nearby. They can meet virtually or in-person for events like pickle ball, gallery walks, or coffee meet-ups, all hosted by members of the platform.
Depending on your living situation, you might not know your neighbors. If you've wanted a way to meet them or build relationships with those in the same apartment building, a new app, OneRoof, helps you do that.
This app seems to function differently than NextDoor, which is a more general neighborhood platform and message board. Instead, OneRoof connects you only with people who live in your apartment building, and not the buildings around you.
When you download the app, you're able to chat with other neighbors on the app.
Neighbors exchange information about their neighborhood, organize events (like happy hour or a yoga class) together, buy and sell, or arrange neighborhood walks.
You might be looking for an app to introduce you to communities with similar interests. That's the goal of the UNBLND app, which defines itself as a global social community based on "building authentic connections through meaningful group experiences."
Once users set up a profile on the app, they answer a series of questions and then get placed in chats with people who have common interests. An algorithm automatically suggests groups based on location and interests, attempting to personalize the experience as much as possible.
The brand encourages creating connections with others based on who you are, not what you look like or how many social media followers you have. The default profile setting hides your picture until you choose to reveal it to those you're chatting with on the platform.
If you're finding yourself lonely on those frequent dog walks or wish you had more friends in your neighborhood who also are obsessed with their furry friends, there's an app called Doggy Style that helps dog lovers meet one another. It aims to create friendships for both humans and their dogs.
Users can download the app, then create a profile for themselves and their dog. They swipe through other profiles of dogs and dog owners in the same area to arrange dog playdates, meetups, or just to create friendships with other people in your community.
Perhaps one of the most unique new apps brands itself neither as a dating app nor as a friend-making service. Instead, 222 calls itself a platform for social experiences. Rather than having users create a profile, DM other users, or find people with similar interests, the app wants connections to feel more like chance encounters that happen in real life, at a bar or in line to get coffee.
Once users sign up for the app, geared toward Gen Z, they're prompted to answer 30 "would you rather" questions that assess habits, interests, and personality. An algorithm collects the data, then invites users to experiences held every other week that align with different preferences and passions.
If you're looking for new connections and real-life experiences, but don't want to invest in small-talk on an app, this platform would be a good fit.