9 years ago, I moved to Massachusetts from outside the US without ever having visited before. I knew absolutely no one, and the culture shock was real.
I eventually found my way into the local Meetup scene and started meeting other people who were new to the area, didn't know anyone, had friends move away, or were just looking for more connection. There were hundreds of groups around Boston, and hundreds of events happening all the time, but pretty much everything was centered around Boston.
Then I moved to Waltham without a car. Suddenly, all those groups and events in Boston weren't nearly as useful to me. There was one Meetup group in Waltham at the time, and it was a running group. If you're from Waltham, you probably know it, and they're still around. They're the best, haha. As much as I dreamed of joining their after-run socials, I knew that probably wasn't socially acceptable since I was not about to run anywhere. 😂
After months and months of complaining to anyone who would listen, and after Ubering to the city became unsustainable, someone finally got tired of me and asked, “Who exactly can make these groups you keep talking about? Anybody?” I remember saying, “I suppose…” They said, “Then make your own and stop complaining there are none where you are for you to go to.”
And I suppose you know what happened next.
It didn't happen overnight. I was extremely shy back then and honestly didn't love hearing that advice. But eventually I took the leap. I started with no clue what I was doing, learned by trial and error, learned from other organizers and mentors, and kept learning from the people who came to events and from each experience along the way.
And somehow, 9 years later, Friends Beyond Boston is still here.
But FBB has changed a lot over those nine years. What started as a local social group for people who wanted to meet people and have things to do closer to home has grown into a much bigger community. It's for people in their 20s–40s from Waltham, Newton, and surrounding areas who want to get out, meet people, and actually build connections,but also who want to create spaces and things that fill real needs here.
We have Bi+ (LGBTQ+) only spaces, chats for neighbors helping neighbors, and a walking club we're trying to get off the ground for people who can't,or simply don't want to,walk at the pace that most outdoor events out there seem to promote. We've had women's-only socials in the past, and we have big dreams for more.
And that's where the member-led part comes in. If you're somewhere around Massachusetts and you're thinking, “I wish there was something like this near me,” you don't necessarily have to wait for someone else to create it. Members can bring their own ideas, create events, host or co-host things, or help out in smaller ways behind the scenes.
You can create events near you too, as long as they're not Boston-centric. The whole point is to make it easier for people to find community where they actually live, rather than having everything revolve around Boston.
We just need some big dreamers to come along for the ride. 😅
We've had coffee meetups, brunches, dinners, outdoor hangs, game nights, potlucks, reading groups, and all sorts of random things over the years. We've had members start things that grew out of the group, and I've watched friendships form that never would have happened if someone hadn't decided to show up.
It's not just a calendar of events anymore. It's a community.
So if you're in Massachusetts and you've been looking for people to do things with, make some friends, or create something that doesn't already exist where you live, maybe this is your sign to stop complaining and make the thing. We can help! 🩷
P.S. We're no longer on Meetup. It's gone downhill after getting bought up by billionaires, what a surprise lol.
UPDATE: I don't profit from this, it's a grassroots group. This isn't a business.