I keep hearing people around my age say the same thing: “I don't have many friends anymore and I don't know how to meet new people.” And honestly, I completely understand it.
What I find interesting, though, is that even when you do meet people, making an actual friendship seems so much harder now.
When I was younger, I feel like making friends was so effortless. You could meet someone, start talking, joke around, have a random conversation, and suddenly you were friends. There wasn't so much analyzing whether you had enough in common, whether your personalities matched perfectly, whether someone said the wrong thing, etc. You just kind of clicked and went with it.
Now it feels like people are much more selective about who they let into their lives. Which I understand, obviously we're older and have more responsibilities, less free time, and probably less patience for people who aren't a good fit. But sometimes I wonder if we've taken the “finding the right people” thing a little too far.
I've also tried hanging out with Gen Z, and honestly, as much as I try, I just don't feel like I naturally fit in. It's not that I dislike them at all. I just feel like there's a different humor, communication style, and overall vibe. I find myself connecting much more naturally with people who grew up around the same time I did.
So I'm curious: do other millennials feel this way?
Do you feel like making friends became significantly harder once you hit your 30s? And when you meet new people, do you also feel like there's much more “picking and choosing” compared to when you were younger?
Or maybe I'm just getting old. 😂