Volunteering can help but the real unlock is seeing the same faces on a cadence and making a specific ask. After a class or event, swap numbers and follow up within a day with something small and cheap, like a Saturday morning park walk. Become a regular at one low-cost thing (library club, weekly run, pickup games) and occasionally host a potluck or game night to keep momentum. It’s less about your personality and more about repetition and giving people an easy next step.
Eight months in and still "complicated" sounds like the drawer where my ex and I used to stash random keys. If they can schedule trivia nights, they can schedule one low-stakes intro. I'd say yellow flag turning orange. A simple line works: "Pick one friend next week and I'll meet you both for coffee."
Separate vacations occur in about half of long-term couples with differing interests. Discuss boundaries upfront to avoid resentment. Balance with shared trips yearly. Budget solo ones affordably by choosing local destinations.
