Hi, I’m Tanya Hennessy and I have no friends.

Well, none where I live. Because, like so many people, I have moved to Canberra for my career.

I have left my family and friends in my home town of Newcastle and now live alone in a one-bedroom unit. My car goes from work to home and that’s about it.

Admittedly, I have only lived in nation’s capital for just over two months, but I have noticed how anxious I get about weekends. As soon as I finish work on Friday I go, “Uh oh, two days alone ... What am I going to do to fill in the time?!” There is only so much time you can spend with your own mind, watching TV and flicking between the same four social media apps.

Friday and Saturday nights generally can be found watching Disney movies (sad), just wishing there was a Tinder for friends. I’m beyond desperate for company.

The worst thing is, there have been some amazing events happen in Canberra since I have arrived. If I haven’t gone with work, I haven’t gone. Which sucks, because I really want to go. But I don’t want to go alone, and it’s hard to find friends as an adult.

But it turns out I’m not alone, it isn’t just me. It’s a lot of people’s reality in Canberra.

I guess I should have realised that Canberra is a transient place. More than 25 per cent of the population is here for work or university which results in lots of people moving to the city alone.

I did vox pops in downtown Canberra the other day and almost every person I asked said the same thing:

“It’s really hard being alone on the weekends. I have tried making friends at work but everyone already seems to have their clique.”

“I’ve been here for seven years now and I don’t have any friends.”

“I have lived in Canberra for two years we moved here for hubby’s work and I have found it so difficult to make friends. I spend most of my time on Netflix … its great but it doesn’t talk back.”

“I moved here four years ago and I can’t break into a friendship group or make new friends … I’ve given up trying”.

THIS IS A THING! So many people live in Canberra with no friends or social life.

It’s so comforting to know I’m not alone, but it’s also really sad to think so many people are feeling so isolated in such a vibrant city.

The solution? For me it’s knowing that almost a quarter of Canberra are doing it solo. I’m going to just put myself out there. Next time I’m in the line for coffee, at work, in the toilets of a club I’m not going to assume they ‘have enough friends’. If I feel a click, I’m going to be a weirdo and just ask the damn question … “wanna hang out sometime?”

What do I have to lose? I just can’t spend another night by myself, in my house, knowing there is so much happening in Canberra. Plus, there’s only so many times you can watch Aladdin.

Tanya Hennessy is the host of Hit 104.7 Breakfast in Canberra. Follow her on Twitter @tanhennessy and if you see her around, don’t be shy.