This article was co-authored by Trudi Griffin, LPC, MS. Trudi Griffin is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Wisconsin specializing in Addictions and Mental Health. She provides therapy to people who struggle with addictions, mental health, and trauma in community health settings and private practice. She received her MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Marquette University in 2011. This article has been viewed 8,932,565 times.

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To make friends, join an organization, club, or sports team, since one of the best ways to make friends is to find people with similar interests. Try volunteering somewhere to meet potential friends who are passionate about the same causes as you are. If joining a group or volunteering is too far out of your comfort zone, try striking up conversations with people you see regularly, like someone you sit next to in class or the cashier at your favorite store. You could also try sitting with different people during lunch. It's OK if you're nervous to talk to new people. Just smile, stand up straight, and make eye contact so you seem friendly. Once you've talked a few times, try initiating a get-together by inviting them somewhere, like a sports game or a concert. After you start hanging out, you'll quickly become better friends! For more advice from our co-author, including specific pointers on how to ask someone to hang out, read on!