Discussions

Hi there, I know this topic comes up often but the past ones I've read seem to be more for people in their 40's and older.  
 
I'm curious to see how many people between the ages of 25ish to 35ish meet new friends? Everyone says to join a club, but I'm not super familiar with "clubs" around here for people in that age group, other than sports but if you're not into playing sports what does that leave?  
 
Just curious as to how to go about meeting new friends. Thanks for your input.  
 
PS I'd like to keep this discussion for people aged 25ish to 35ish. I'm not saying that people older or younger can't join in, I'm just in that age group and think I'd have more in common with other people in that group not quite a bit older or younger...

I find as a person that fits into the 25-35 ish group that it's hard to make new friends in Brandon. It seems like you either make "friends" with the people at your work place, but you never hang out outside of work, or you have to be married with kids to find mutual groups that want to get together because they have the kid thing in common. I've been in Brandon 3 years and besides one old roommate and maybe a friend from when I attended school, I don't really hang out with anyone except my significant other. It seems that people couple up and then you don't really see bunches of us age 25-35 really hang out in groups like we used to as kids/teens.

It's difficult to make friends. I've come to the point in my life where I just find hobbies I can do alone because it's a) hard to find ways to make friends and b) seemingly difficult to maintain a friendship if both parties aren't 100%.  
 
It's a struggle, and I've lived here my whole life.

There are two younger versions of the "old foggies" service clubs. Prairie Pride meets at 7:00 AM on Fridays to organize their events. I am not too sure what the name of the younger Rotary club is. There is a book sale in early September that you could inquire at. I would check the What Is Happening section of the Brandon Sun Thursday paper for the listing and contact information of groups like this.  
 
Volunteer groups are another way. The hospital has a number of younger people helping to escort visitors and patients through the maze. The Humane Society would love some younger people to help walk and socialize the dogs and cats. The YMCA may need extra help in a number of areas and that gets you introduced to younger people. The Immigrant office on Pacific is always asking the university students if they would like to help.  
 
By volunteering, you will meet people with the same interests, but not someone you already spend 40 hours a week with.

people age group for friendship? my best friend is in his late 50s, I'm in my mid thirties... didn't know age mattered when you click with people, I know some that are older that party way more than me and some younger that are early to bed/risers... just make friends for heaven's sake, it's that easy...

well this kinda sucks lol  
 
Katwalk I don't get the Brandon Sun (unless you're referring to the paper that comes with all the flyers) I've looked on ebrandon in the volunteer section and there isn't really thing in that section that interests me, is there somewhere else that I could look (besides buying a subscription to the Sun?) and Prairie Pride has a weird time to meet, 7am on a Friday, I would never be able to make that as I work but I'll maybe check out their website (if they have one) to see what they're about as I've never really heard of them.  
 
If anyone one wants to chat more and possibly be come friends send me a msg.

Do you want me to come over and read the free Thursday paper to you? Some research has to be done on your own. Friendships require work. The Friday morning meeting is done by 7:45 so the others can get to work.  
 
If you do not want to pay for a subscription to the Brandon Sun, many places offer it to their customers at no charge. The library has a few copies available to borrow.  
 
Volunteer by approaching the organization. Advertising is not always done. It may be free but requires someone to spend time creating, posting, and maintaining that advertising.  
 
I find that you have more excuses than desires regarding any sort of friendships or meetings. You probably will find fault with any gathering that is arranged.

Who are you to judge anyone? I was simply informing you that I do no receive the paper, and I also informed you that I would check out the website and if you knew any where else that had a list of organizations that were looking for volunteers. I haven't lived here my whole life so I don't exactly know what's out there.  
 
This was suppose to be a friendly discussion not you bashing people for looking for information on where other people in this age group hang out or how they meet friends.  
 
If you don't have any nice, helpful information maybe another discussion is better suited to your needs.  
 
Thank you

what kind of things are you interested in? Might help people with their suggestions or may get more of a response from other people looking for the same thing.

I'm not saying people don't "click" with older/or younger people, but normally you have more in common with people your own age. Again not saying that for everyone as people your own could have totally different priorities.  
 
I see why everyone in Brandon has trouble making friends, if this thread is any indication of how people treat strangers then no wonder everyone stays home!  
 
Seems like that's what I'll be doing as a few people on this thread aren't the nicest when someone is trying to make friends.

I've been in Brandon since I started BU years ago and yeah.. it's near impossible to meet friends. One of my friends started up a craft beer tasting club a few months ago and it was a great success, fun and met lots of new people who were in their late 20s to early 40s. I think he's planning on having another beer tasting event soon and might be posting about it on eBrandon once a date is decided on

I'm old fashioned, I meet people with ease, I'm out and about all the time, these days, people would rather go on a website, click click click! who wants to be my friend? I dont believe in that?  
I love talking to strangers, get to know them, figure their querks... it's fun to know people, everywhere I go, I know someone there... not best friend material by any means but that's few people anyways.  
try not depending on social media to meet people, just go! car show, mall, wherever you got business, make it a point to meet someone and chat, it gets easier, and if they like you, you can tell, just come out of your shell and walk away from the computer long enough to play...

That's more what I'm trying to do is get out there to meet people but as I mentioned earlier I've only been here a few years so I don't know what kinds of places are looking for volunteers or where to even start looking for that kind of thing and Katwalk was so rude about it that I'm still at square one.  
 
If things aren't posted on here in the classified or on the radio I don't know where else to look. I've tried googling "clubs in Brandon" but of course that gives me bars/lounges. So I came on here to see what other ppl do to get out and make friends and for some clubs that people can join, but so far it's not overly helpful.

This is only one idea, but if you''re into Magic: The Gathering, or one of the table top games that involves miniatures like Star Wars (I think it''s called X-Wing or something like that), then maybe try hitting Boardgame Empire. It''s a cool place, and they have gaming events from time to time. A little while back there was even a Smash Bros competition.  
 
It probably wouldn''t hurt to list a couple of your hobbies so then people can suggest things that might be right up your alley (by the way there''s an adult league for bowling too).  
 
Edited by Vezak, 2016-08-02 12:49:09

I belong to the Brandon Camera Club, and it's really improved my photography and given me something to do with my spare time. There aren't a lot of 25-35 year olds in the club (other than me) but I'm always trying to recruit younger members ;) PM me if you want more info!

And first Thursday every month is Cruise Night down on Rosser! Go there! Talk to people about their cars! It's an easy way to strike up a conversation

Since high school and as ive gotten older, ive found i have less and less friends. Didnt find myself without friends or lonely till i lost my common law partner a couple years ago to a heartattack. Now that i have my life back on track and have come to understand i want more friends (mainly someone to "chill" with). I am a bit of a pc gamer, i love cars and have many interests ....... seems odd to even say on here, but hey hit me up .... need more male friends to do more man stuff !! lol

Real talk: most people, especially younger folks, aren't looking for 'new' friends. They want to meet people their current friends already know and have vetted. Most people under 35 have already formed cliques from people they met in high school or university, and those cliques have mostly expanded from including the friends of friends. Very few normal groups of people are looking to 'recruit' new friends. If you happen to know someone who invites you to a party and you hit it up with peeps, they'll gladly include you, but no normal person is going to invite a stranger they met online to their place or a party unless they met on tinder.  
 
So what are your options? Here's suggestions, in no particular order, and some obviously more feasible than others.  
 
1) Go to school. BU or ACC. Living in the dorms optimal, but if not you must approach others, go to the events posted under on posters.  
 
2) get a job working with younger folks, part time or otherwise. Entertainment establishments like bars, nightclubs and fancier restaurants like echo and blu are key, since younger sets work there. Try to avoid being a cook, everyone wants to be friends with the bartender/waitress  
 
3) Join the military. A lifetime of friends and adventure await you. The fr nch foreign legion, Russia, and Zimbabwe are also willing to take foreign recruits.  
 
4) join a nerd club. Someone already mentioned going to one of the local hobby stores to play things like dungeons and dragons and Pokemon. I have friends who do this, though they freely admit a lot of the people they meet there are on the weirder side of th scale. Not judging, just being honest.  
 
5) join a fighting club. Lifting gyms are very hard to meet people in, but things like jiu jitsu and boxing are social by their very nature. Brandon has a boxing club and peak fitness is a hybrid boxing/lifting gym with a good crowd.  
 
6) show up at events that interest you (the car cruise night, the big gospel tent thminutes y put up at the keyston centred, wherever) and be prepared for some of th most embarrassing moments of you're life.  
 
7) date someone. When I first came to Brandon most people I met was through tinder. If didn't go to school in town, date someone who did//is and get in good with all their buddies. May carry the risk of starting all over again when you break up.  
 
8) be beautiful. Everyone wants to be around beautiful people, if you're beautiful just walk out your front door. Voila. New friends.  
 
9) become rich and famous. As above, replacing beautiful with rich and famous  
 
10) get a career that requires some sort of professional training or schooling. Whether it's being a lawyer or a welder, you'll meet far more friends you can relate to in a job you had to go to school for than one you just applied for on ebrandon. Optimal work places: hospitals, law (cop shops and court rooms), and construction sites.  
 
11) have kids. If you are already dating, just start firing out kids. You'll find new friends of all ages as blue hairs stop to pinch their cheeks in the park, their class mates come over to eat all your food, and you and the other parents look at each other with your 1000 yard stares sharing liquor shots at the pta meeting  
 
That's just sme me suggestions. If you aren't exploring at least two of these options you're the social equivalent of a picky eater. Nobody you would like to be friends with is out there right now running around looking for you. You gotta put yourself in the places where they're at.

Sorry OP, as soon as I read the subject of your post I knew Katwalk would post something snarky. It's just her thing, don't take it personally.  
 
You are right, it is very hard for that age group to make friends here. I've seen it mentioned on eBrandon for years now. It's not normal, it's not like this everywhere, and it is a real phenomenon.  
 
I don't know why some people not in the same situation feel the need to bash that age group& pretend it's not true. But you and I and many past posters know it is.  
 
It doesn't mean we're doing something wrong or are stuck in front of the computer as someone said.  
 
I think it's that time of life where people have already done the school work& the hard work to get into a job, and then we either find ourselves caught up in family life or wondering, now that I got the job I wanted, now what?

I've lived here over 15 years, and my friends tended to be those who also came from out of town. They were more up for adventure& looking to meet new people than the Brandon raised. Of course I'm generalizing greatly.  
 
So maybe look for others who aren't from around here originally, ie came for university or college alumni. Brandon is such a family focused town (which is a good thing) that there's not a lot of events to go alone to and end up in a group. People look at you word if you initiate conversation without being introduced for some reason.

That should say people look at you weird.  
 
If you are comfortable, why not casually suggest that your work group go out for supper on Friday? Even just those of your gender if that makes it more likely for a group to form. For example, the ladies at my work go for apps every few Fridays, are able to get to know each other better. That led to them forming a golf team.  
 
Hope you have success!

Lose touch with people, others move and if you aren't super social it can be very difficult to find new people to hang out with.

25-35 .. have you tried pokemon go? hard to not meet people doing that.

i've lived in brandon almost 6 months... moved here only knowing my bf, it been hard adjusting as it gets super lonley and boring sometimes. im used to being around people abit more, my family always around. im not into goin to bars.. so i havent really known how else to make decent friends who actually like doin things not drinkin at bars all the time lol

My bestfriend 3 years ago when i moved to portage.. I posted a question to a fb group explaining i jus moved to portage n she msged me asking me how i liked it cuz she jus moved there too. She was also shy n hard to make friends there. We talked n then hung out and she has been the closest, bestest friend ive had in my life  
 
So if ur lookin to make friends, know more people here. Msg me and we can get to know one another if u like.  
 
Its hard tryin to meet ppl in a city thata very  
Cliquey and/or judgemental so i understand

Tomboy....don't let Katwalk get to you. I expect nothing less than how it answers. I have lived here for 16 years now and only have a small circle of friends. It seems the older I get the more opportunity for friendship expands. One thing that is hard at that age is being single. Even as a couple trying to find other couples is a challenge. I had my daughter when I was young so when people are just having kids mine is already moved away from home. I am not interested in kids play dates, spray parks, etc. Find some hobbies and work groups that share similar interests. It could be some interest hanging around "I want that stuff" store. There is that game place tucked in behind Applebees area. If you like the outdoors there are always people wanting to go fishing, Game and Fish clubs, shooting clubs, photography as someone already mentioned. I just found out about a hobby aircraft club that was mentioned by a buddy. Looking at the "What's going on...." there wasn't much interesting things in there. I know people say get off the computer but there are also tons of Facebook groups to join if they meet your interests.

- Brandon Ukulele Club  
- Brandon Blaze Dragon Boat Team  
- Brandon Water Ski Club  
- Brandon Community Garden Network workshops and events  
- Cycling and running groups (inquire at A&L or Stream & Wood)  
- Evening classes at the Art Gallery of Southwestern Manitoba or ACC (languages, art, photography, etc.)

Does anyone know of any book clubs in Brandon?

I've always been curious if there were any books clubs around Brandon. It would be something I would be interested in.