Make friends over 50: how our social events won’t make you feel uneasy

Wondering how to make friends over 50?

We’ve been helping over 50s meet new people since 2014 and particularly through our Introductions events over the last few years.

We’ve had calls and emails from so many saying they are a little apprehensive to come along.

However, they do, and they make friends over 50 and overcome any anxiety they had about joining us for the first time.

Although everybody is unique, we’ve noticed that there are a few common reasons most people don’t book a ticket because of doubts.

These are completely understandable and so our planning means that they are no problem at our event.

Below are the reasons why you don’t have to worry about fitting in and how we’ve solved such event issues.

We’ve been through all this ourselves and know how to put on an event you’ll love.

Here's how we start new connections together.

 

1. Worrying about attending on your own and how our welcome setup is the start of new friendships for you

This concern can come from the fact that you might think you’ll be attending an event where most know each other already, or have made friends at past events.

However, we’ve recently relaunched so we have a lot of newcomers just like you. Some are members, who are joining in for the first time, others are guests (non-members) who want to try out an event with us to see how they can easily make new friends.

It can still be daunting though when it’s your first time coming to a new and different event.

So know that at least 90% come on their own, so you’ll likely get chatting to someone at the entrance and you’ll walk in together, or we have our host right by the door.

Our host will welcome you properly to our welcome area, which is literally just next to the entrance. With a host you then go together with others to our nearby private Who London area.

And if you really would like to travel together with someone, join our free Facebook group and we’d suggest you post a comment asking other Who Londoners whether they would like to meet at a station on the day of the event.

 

2. Thinking you’ll be left out and how our regulars and hosts make sure that doesn’t happen – ever

Now, this is our pet peeve! No-one should ever feel this way.

After reading the above you’ll have a better idea of how this won’t happen, but we know it’s only natural to wonder whether you will feel part of the group.

At some events you might get there and find a lot of people know each other already, or newcomers haven’t arrived yet, or even arrived before you and have already settled in.

Our warm and friendly hosts are keeping an eye on what is going on throughout the event - they are focused on how we are going to make friends with one another.

Not only are they taking people together to our private area so you mingle nicely straight away, but our hosts join in and are on hand checking everyone is enjoying themselves.

So much so we constantly have feedback about how good our hosts are at making everyone feel welcome from start to finish.

We’ve a modern event with good old-fashioned hosting, i.e. hosting which ensures you are a Who Londoner the moment you arrive.

And actually we have some people who tell us they waited so long to come to one of our events, but wished they would have joined sooner!

 

3. Not sure you will know who is part of Who London and why our venue space stops that happening

If a venue is too busy, how will you know who is part of an event?

If your event area is overcrowded, can you be sure you won’t get talking to someone who isn’t part of the group and it’s taken all your courage to approach them?

Again, this is a natural fear, but also one which needn’t take up any of your time in relation to Who London events.

We want our events to firstly be effective in your making friendships, and secondly flow smoothly.

Really, you can’t have one without the other.

So, we’ve booked a private area in a gorgeous spacious London pub and the pub is actually staying open later for us, which means there are very few people around who are not part of Who London.

We don’t have an over-crowded, uncomfortable atmosphere.

We do have a clear area just for us and every Who Londoner and host is given a first name label so you know straight away they’re also looking to make friends.

 

4. Nervous about having to work the room yourself and why our event planning means you won’t be on the day

This problem is one of many meetups. Very, very few people will be forward enough to walk up to those in conversation and interrupt. And we would feel uneasy about approaching someone on their own at the bar.

Even those who are confident don’t want to seem bullish. It’s a common issue when meeting new people in any scenario.

You might not want to come across as too keen either.

If you want to make new friends with others over 50 then how can you do so successfully?

That’s exactly why we have a pre-arranged networking-style drinks event. It’s relaxed but it’s not up to you to feel confident enough to break into groups.

The fact that our socialising is in groups too and not 1-2-1 means it’s really informal and easy-going, just like enjoying a chat at the pub with old friends.

 

5. Concerned you’ll be stuck with the same few people the whole event and why our event rounds really help you make new friends

Often, despite having a great time at a meetup or an event, you regret missing out on meeting more than a handful of people. It happens to all of us.

If you're looking to make new friends then clearly the more people you meet the more likely that is!

When you’re in conversation it’s hard to get up and start speaking with others for risking of offending someone.

And by the time you might be able to talk to someone else, they’re already half way in a conversation so you’re left not able to contribute much. It can get awkward for anyone.

It’s such a shame to have made the effort to go along, see people you want to find out more about, but go home feeling you could have got more from that event.

You could have started new friendships.

At Who London Introductions, we get to know one another in various groups so you will likely talk to people more than once, but it won’t be a case of heading home wishing you had talked with more people.

That's why we have a specific rotation plan in place!

Our event layout also makes it much easier to be at the bar getting a drink and keep the chat flowing with people you’ve already been socialising with.

 

Let's meet, socialise and make friends!

We totally get why you’re thinking in these ways. After all, that is what often happens at other meetups and events.

Our Who London events are more about making new friends and connections, than just having a good time chatting. That’s why we run our events the way we do.

You can see now you don’t need to feel uneasy about coming to one of our events.