Real talk: making friends as a grown-ass adult can be difficult. Sure, you can meet people at work, but it’s nice to have a few squad members who have zero interest in talking about Kyle’s annoying habit of reheating fish tacos in the office microwave (friendly reminder — don’t be like Kyle). And while it’s relatively easy to strike up a conversation with someone at a bar, it’s a little awkward to chat in the bathroom line then end the convo by saying “If your stall is out of toilet paper I’ll pass you some, also we should hang out sometime” (but by all means, go for it.) So — if all the talk about Galentine’s Day has you looking to make new pals — THE JAM: CLT has got your back.
Remember what dating was like before the internet? (If you don’t — enjoy your youth. Otherwise, shout out to the rest of the Limewire generation). You know good people are out there, you just don’t know where to find them. So it’s best to get into the pre-internet dating mindset when trying to make new friends — be the friend you want to find, and do it IRL. Go to the places where people do the same things you like to do. For example: try out that super cool dance class by the THE JAM: CLT that keeps popping up on your IG (#shamelesspromotionbutyoushouldtotallydoit). While you’re there, turn to your neighbor and say hi. We bet you’ll really like each other or at the very least, you’ll both appreciate the effort you made.
Participating in a shared interest can also be a way to reconnect or stay in touch with old friends. Not sure how much you and your college bestie have in common now that she’s a stay at home mom and you’re all about your desk job and managing your corgie’s Instagram (…same TBH)? Invite her to dance at Sugar Creek Brewing for a Tuesday or Thursday class and get sentimental about that time you snuck into the front row at The Backstreet Boys concert. And after class, you can reminisce over a beer in the taproom while showing each other pictures of your babies (human, canine, whatevs). It’s a win-win.
For those of us who are introverted AF and prefer a dental cleaning over small talk, keeping up with a friendship can seem like a daunting task because no matter how much we love our gal pals, we will always prefer to go to Target solo. Fun fact — introverts can be amazing friends. They require very little energy from a friendship and they are every bit as loyal as they are socially awkward. As an introvert, keeping a weekly workout with a friend can be the perfect amount of social interaction — you catch up, stop talking and dance for about 45 minutes, exchange pleasantries and go home to your dogs who are cooler than any human could ever hope to be (we’re speaking from personal experience if that’s not obvious).
And now, for the most important part of our little TED Talk. Friends are the best, but there’s nothing better than being your own Galentine. There’s something so badass about taking an hour for yourself, going to a class, and working out/dancing just because it makes you feel good. RuPaul says it best – “If you don’t love yourself, how the hell are you going to love anybody else?”
Whether you’re already in a committed BFF relationship, or you’re on the look out for a new girl gang, THE JAM: CLT is proud to provide the perfect back beat to your next story that starts with “remember that time when …” Our next big event is our annual “Love and Hip Hop” class, which will be held on Valentine’s Day at Sugar Creek Brewing at 6:30pm. It’s our dirtiest playlist of the year; fishnets are encouraged and pants are optional. After that, we show the fellas some love with “Man Week.” Dudes dance for free at all classes Feb 18-22 (same stance on pants applies). Follow THE JAM: CLT on Instagram and Facebook for event details!