Lawrence Wilson

Good point - Co-signing this and one tweak that helped me: pick a predictable weekly “drop-in” you host, like library co-work Tuesdays 6–7, and tell new people you’ll be there regardless which, yeah it removes the scheduling ping-pong and lets the same faces reappear until it feels natural. Volunteering with built-in teamwork (community garden work days, youth sports setup, library book sale sorting) pushes you past small talk fast because you’re doing something together. To make hangs stick, give each person a tiny role - bring cups, choose a 20‑minute playlist, time the walk - so they feel needed and come back.