Friendship Day – How to Make New Bookworm Friends

How to Make New Bookworm Friends
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Friendship Day – How to Make New Bookworm Friends

“You can’t stay in your corner of the forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes.”

~ A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh

How to Make New Bookworm Friends

With Best Friends Day on its way, there is no better time to celebrate the friendships that inspire us, sustain us, and make us feel like we’re not alone in this crazy world. True, the pandemic has forced us to engage differently with and re-evaluate our friendships. But one thing remains the same, the power of friendship can be life changing.

Getting there, however, can feel overwhelming. In her book, How to Break Up With Your Friends, author Erin Falconer devotes a whole chapter to how to make news friends. She suggests volunteering or signing up for a class is a great way to meet people you might not normally connect with. In addition, keeping your eyes and ears open to interesting new people and being friendly and giving compliments (who doesn’t like to feel liked?) will improve your odds at making a new friend.

In the spirit of putting yourself out there and experiencing new adventures, here are five ways you can our yourself in new situations to meet interesting new book lover friends. 

  • Sign up for an activity. Whether it’s volunteering at a local animal shelter or taking a yoga class, engaging in a new activity will give you ample opportunity to meet new people with an array of different hobbies – and reading might be one of them. It will also give you a chance to practice the art of making new friends as we re-integrate into a more face-to-face society as COVID restrictions are lifted and people venture outside in the beautiful weather. 
  • Online communities. While social media has its downside, there are tons of forums and groups that welcome book lovers. Do your research and join a few to engage with fellow booklovers. There is nothing quite like bonding over the love of a book. 
  • Visit your local bookstore. Not only will you be supporting a local business, but chances are a great conversation with the store owner could lead to book recommendations and store events that could lead to some great book loving meet ups.
  • Host your own book club. Whether in person or virtual, gather a few friends together and ask them to invite a friend of their own to chat about the latest bestseller or a classic read. It’s a great way to widen your social circle to include more people and a potential new best friend.
  • Attend a BooknBrunch event. I attended my first BooknBrunch event four years ago and not only did I enjoy a venue I probably wouldn’t have ventured out to on my own, I met an incredible and diverse group of women I felt safe with and connected to; one that offered ample laughs and meaningful conversations. As social creatures by nature, people yearn to connect – even more as we continue to navigate the “next” normal imposed by the pandemic. 

While the prospect of making new friends can be daunting, especially during a pandemic where social distancing has kept us away from opportunities and potential new meetings, remembering to keep your eyes and ears open to interesting new people, being friendly, and giving off positive vibes can help you take that next step to establishing a new book friend that could enrich your life – and reading list! 

How would you like to chat books and make new friends? Click here for a list of upcoming events!

Better yet, become a Brookie Host and connect with like-minded people from all over the world! Sign up here to become a host. 

Andrea Querido

Andrea Querido is a 40-ish book-loving, introverted word nerd who’s passionate about connection, self-care, personal growth, creating community and, of course, books!

Favourite book: To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Favourite brunch spot: Anywhere I don’t have to cook.

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