Meeting people in West Seattle?!

[BigPhil]

Hey all — just moved here from Colorado Springs three weeks back and I’m having a tough time meeting people in my age group (18-34, I guess.. I’m 25?).

I’ve been out and about in town, stopping at the Matador and the Skylark, going to the Junction for grocery shopping, etc., but it’s tough to find people who are just hanging out. I’m not looking for life-long friends here, maybe just people who’d like to chat, get drinks, etc.

Likewise, I work in Bellevue during the days and it seems like tons of people in my age group but everyone is busy working. Maybe I just suck at meeting new people in a foreign land ;)

Any tips?

[lizru]

Hey BigPhil – here are a few thoughts.

I’d think more about meeting some nice folks, rather than focusing on people in your age group. Meet nice people and the right age group thing will sort itself out.

Get busy doing things you like to do. Join a bike group, volunteer doing something you’re interested in (music? architecture? politics?).

Focus on things that bring you back in touch over and over again with a great community of people to give yourself time to get to know them.

Do something that will make your already fabulous neighborhood the better for YOU being here. Guaranteed you’ll meet some great folks doing that!

[squareeyes]

Check out Underdog Sports, it’s a social sports network. I’ve signed up for things (bowling, mini-golf) as a single and been placed in teams. It seemed to me the age range skewed 20s-30s. If you have any particular interests, hiking, etc, a friend has had success with seattle.meetup.com.

If you follow a particular college team, find out where those alumni gather to watch games (Rocksport is or was the place for Michigan alumni & friends to gather for football games). You could hang out at the more sportsbar type places. It always appears to me that guys who don’t know each other can banter away an entire game at a bar. The back room at Maharajah has multiple big screens. I always talk to people I don’t know at Maharajah.

A lot of people find Seattle a tough place to make friends – we’re all in our little bubbles and it’s hard to break in…or break out. I found that I had to be persistent and be the one to pick up the phone the first several times “hey, let’s get a drink”. But it worked. Good luck!

[JanS]

BigPhil…and don’t discount meeting people through things like this forum. We have had some meet-ups in the past – spans all age groups, really. And some of us have become extremely good friends. I have a small circle of people who I met through this forum -we had a fundraiser – who are as young as early 20’s up to their mid-60’s. My daughter, who is 30, has become friends with them, too. So…when we have our next “meetup”..for a Happy Hour, or whatever, we’ll have to include you. Ya never know who you might meet !

[Jiggers]

It’s called the “Seattle Freeze” Too many passive-aggressive types live here.

article

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/pacificnw/2005/0213/cover.html

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/pacificnw/2005/0213/cover.html

[austin]

In other words, you won’t be meeting Jiggers.

[Jiggers]

And then again, maybe you will…:)

[johnnyblegs]

It really annoys me when people label Seattleites as passive aggressive while most people here are transplants from other places.

[Que]

@Johnnyblegs TRUE!! And actually, I have found people here to be extremely genuine, friendly and accepting.

But then again, I am a transplant from the East Coast… so my vision of that may be skewed…

BigPhil, I agree with the previous advice of going and doing public things that you enjoy, and you will meet like-minded people. :-) Welcome to Seattle!

[Kimberley]

I had luck with meetup.com, as well as pursuing a hobby I enjoy (photography) via flickr (there’s a local Seattle contingent), as well as watching my favourite sport at the same bar again and again. Maybe suggest a happy hour with coworkers to get the ball rolling.

[JanS]

oh, good grief…don’t listen to jiggers. He’s our resident “Debbie Downer” – lol…jiggers…teasing..really…teasing ;-)

[DOC]

Craigslist can work on the “strictly platonic” section. I agree, it is hard to meet folks. I moved back here from KS about a year ago, and meeting new friends in seattle wasn’t easy. I joined a volunteer group and met some good friends through that, met a friend by initially tutoring him on CL, and made friends at work. However, if you live in west seattle and want to go grab a beer, hit me up. Oh, and you may want to try to go to some octoberfest celebrations too. Lots of beer and you can meet some cool people. Also perhaps join a trivia night somewhere one evening and join a random team that needs help? Good luck man.

[Bonnie]

Have you checked out this meetup group?

http://www.meetup.com/Everything-West-Seattle/

[mpento]

You have to be miserable about some aspect of your life then you can find a support group. The only support group that never seems to work is the ‘tough to find people to hang out with” support group. Either it doesn’t work or it does work and nullifies its existence. The other option is to have kids or maybe adopt a puppy for a couple of weeks.

[HunterG]

I hate to admit it, but Jiggers does have a very valid point. It is pretty tough to go out and “meet” people with potential friend status. Folks in Seattle seem to have their groups, and unless you have something in common with the group’s common interest just see yourself as an outsider.

There are tons of groups in Seattle…groups for acting,dogs, singing, rock climbing, duck watching, knitting, drinking, food, art…you name it there is probably a group for it. IMOHP… this just may be the only way to make friends in Seattle anymore, join a group related to your interests.

[hollyplace]

meetup.com is a good source and most of the groups are free to join. Here is what we post on our meetup group page. It is paraphrased from a couple of other sources, but I think it applies to anyone trying to find a group.

“Breaking into a new group requires tenacity and perseverance. They should be welcoming to all newcomers, but unfortunately, they often are not. Perhaps they are simply not focused on the visitors, or maybe they are just not as welcoming as the newcomer wants, or perhaps their idea of welcoming is different from the newcomer’s. In any case, breaking into a new group will take some effort on your part, but if you make the effort, it will be worth it. Fitting in with a group is largely up to the individual.

Go to events every week. Make it a priority. You are likely to be remembered if others see you on a regular basis, and their names and faces will become recognizable to you much sooner. If you start missing event dates here and there, before you know it, you won’t be a regular anymore. Groups often evolve over time; if you go regularly, you will be part of those changes.

Arrive early. It is easier for you to start talking with only one or two other adults than it is to approach a group of adults.

Active participation will establish you as part of the group but also as part of the community.”

If you don’t find a group that interests you, you can always start your own “new to West Seattle”.

Welcome to the hood!

[Jiggers]

There’s a bigger gay community living here than heterosexual type. It is harder to meet single straight women because it’s a convoluted region. Both party’s are trying to hit on single women all the time here, so, it’s a lot harder for a single male like myself who’s not making A $100K a year to hook up and compete with a 30 year old making that in the tech field. I do have standards, so then again, that’s my problem when it comes to meeeting straight women here. It is what it is.

The problem with me also is that I don’t waste my time with online dating. It is A waste of time. Same thing with blogging. I’m old school and like to meet someone up front. People lie all the time online so, they aren’t genuine and possibly very insecure.

[squareeyes]

Jiggers Jiggers Jiggers…

that’s all.

[Blend]

no one will actually want to meet you in this forum..they just want to give you advise. No one here wants socialize in person. I would love to hang out..but I am 38..so I am too old for you. hehe.

[Jiggers]

I’m older than that Alki..:)

[dawsonct]

Johnnyblegs, I can’t tell you how often I need to pull that fact out whenever I hear some transplant say “all Seattleites (whatever broad-brush stereotype you like).”

—

Seriously.

Spend a few weeks asking all your Seattle acquaintances where they were born or grew up. You won’t find many natives.

My conclusion is that all the bad behavior (except for the over-the-top politeness and self-sacrifice that some identify as P/A) was brought in by outsiders.

[squareeyes]

Not true Alki – DOC offered to meet up for a beer. Of course, in true Seattle style s/he left it to Phil to initiate a day/time. Hence my advice above about taking the initiative to get friendships rolling.

Anybody remember when we tried to have a singles meet-up at Maharajah quite awhile back? A lot of initial interest but who showed up? There was me, a couple of my girlfriends, pigeonmom and a girlfriend, so five women…and jiggers.

[DOC]

Squareeyes, Thanks for pointing out that I would meet for a beer. However, since I did live in KS for 8 years, my style is a bit different. I would be happy to schedule a time, but if you notice, the OP has yet to post anything else on this thread.

Wait, Singles meeting somewhere! I’m in!

[squareeyes]

Yo, Phil. What do you think so far??

[WorldCitizen]

For whatever reason it IS hard to meet people in Seattle. Never had as hard a time anywhere else. Don’t know why.

[Author]

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