Have you ever talked
yourself out of attending an event due to shyness or self-conscious
tendencies? Do you assume that your
social inadequacies would make you feel somewhat akin to a square peg in a
round hole? Perhaps you have a phobia
for large social settings or don’t feel you are a good enough small talker.
For those reasons and
more, I have missed many a fun event in my life.
Long ago, I luckily
discovered a great means of dealing with those personality disorders. Outside of actual medication or psychiatric
help, the best solution for the socially inept amongst us is Meetup.
Just go to www.meetup.com, and a world of possibilities will immediately open up
to you. As it states on the site itself,
“Meetup is the world’s largest network of local groups.”
I know that the term
‘something for everyone’ is often greatly overused and exaggerated in our
society. But that’s precisely what
Meetup offers.
Meetup activities run
the gamut from small to medium to large group functions; the totally sedate to
extremely active; and completely mindless to extraordinarily
brain-challenging. But the best thing of
all is that there is generally no membership fee or cost to join Meetup other
than what you pay for admissions or tickets to events, and money for gasoline
and your own food. But many people
carpool to some events.
The groups I currently
belong to and frequent the most are Fun Peeps, Living Life to the Fullest,
Singles Again, St. Louis Volunteer Group, St. Charles County Baby Boomer, and
Let’s Hike.
I will forever
remember my first Meetup event just as I have my first woman.
It was an
overwhelmingly hot and humid Saturday or Sunday in early summer 2006. The event was a group picnic in St. Louis’
Forest Park through The Activity Group, to which I still belong.
Always early, I was
the first of some 35 people to arrive amongst those who signed up in
advance. Not knowing a single member, I
wandered around a bit, asking various strangers if they were there for a Meetup
event. You obviously won’t experience
this when meeting at a restaurant, coffee shop, or any other much smaller venue
than a city park!
I finally connected
with a woman name Anne, who I still see several times a year through Meetup,
including a hike tomorrow morning at Fort Bellefontaine. Together, we found the correct picnic
spot. Each person brought a covered dish
to complement a big-time BBQ! I met a
dozen or so people in that first hour of eating and socializing.
From there, many of
us either carpooled or walked the half mile or so in the heat index of about
100 degrees, to the Forest Park Boathouse.
We rented pedal boats with up to four to a boat for an hour. We pedaled around all the beautiful and cool
fountains well below a hill that houses The St. Louis Art Museum. I’ve lived in St. Louis my entire life, but
never did that before!
After hiking back to
the picnic site with another new friend, the socializing continued with more
snacking, drinking, and desserts. There
were even a few picnic style activities, but it was far too hot to partake in
too much of that.
But after that one
single event, I have been totally hooked on Meetup as an active member of seven
or eight groups. Those groups alone have
helped me form great acquaintances and friendships with several hundred
people! They provide some 20-30 or so
event choices every single month! I know
some people who belong to 50 or more of the several hundred area Meetup
groups. You do the math!!!
There are Meetup
groups for every age group starting at 21, and for just about every type of
interest available to man or woman!
Another benefit is that there are groups to attend in mornings,
afternoons, evenings, and late nights.
Meetups include
several dining groups like West County Dining Group and Dine Out on a Dime, very
active groups like St. Louis Adventure Group and Single Christian Adventure
Group, ones for couples, dancers, those into a variety of sports, playing cards
and board games, movie going, political, spiritual, live plays, Happy Hours
that often draw more than 100 people, karaoke, business and networking,
etc. It’s also easy for anyone to start
their own Meetup group right from the site!
There are also
several parameters on the site to easily find most of the choices. Just plug in your zip code, distance willing
to travel, and also key words for interests.
We attend a few very
small gatherings all the way up to huge ones like the Happy Hours, recent Mardi
Gras and St. Patrick’s Day parades, and the Mega Meetup Party held this past
Saturday, March 30th. It was
dubbed “Take Me Out to the Ballroom” in honor of the start of the Cardinals’
baseball season. Most of the more than
500 of us who signed up were clad in a wide array of baseball garb to party and
dance to the band Crossfire after reserving The Casa Loma Ballroom to
ourselves!
So, you say you’re a
bored and lonely person with little to do and with very few friends? You say you’re not very outgoing or
sociable? Sorry! Those excuses just won’t fly in Meetup! Most of us are extremely friendly and
welcoming to all newcomers! So, head to www.meetup.com and start your new
adventures! If I could do it, anyone
can!
