1 00:00:03,040 --> 00:00:09,360 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good Morning, 2 00:00:10,600 --> 00:00:15,920 Speaker 1: This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's 3 00:00:15,960 --> 00:00:19,440 Speaker 1: tip is to host a friend of a friend gathering. 4 00:00:20,480 --> 00:00:23,000 Speaker 1: Plan and get together with your friends and invite each 5 00:00:23,000 --> 00:00:25,720 Speaker 1: of your friends to bring along a friend of theirs too. 6 00:00:26,480 --> 00:00:28,880 Speaker 1: This is a great way to meet new people with 7 00:00:28,960 --> 00:00:34,440 Speaker 1: whom you already share something meaningful. Today's tip comes from 8 00:00:34,520 --> 00:00:39,640 Speaker 1: writer and style expert Shira Gill. In a recent Substack article, 9 00:00:39,760 --> 00:00:43,000 Speaker 1: she shares a dilemma that she says stumped her. How 10 00:00:43,040 --> 00:00:46,199 Speaker 1: does one make new friends as an adult without the 11 00:00:46,360 --> 00:00:50,639 Speaker 1: built in social structures of school or a consistent work community. 12 00:00:51,960 --> 00:00:53,680 Speaker 1: That is a question I hear from a lot of 13 00:00:53,720 --> 00:00:57,960 Speaker 1: my listeners too. What Shira came up with is what 14 00:00:58,040 --> 00:01:02,520 Speaker 1: she calls a friend of a friend party. Here's how 15 00:01:02,560 --> 00:01:05,880 Speaker 1: it works. Just invite half the number of people you 16 00:01:05,920 --> 00:01:09,240 Speaker 1: can comfortably accommodate in your home and ask each of 17 00:01:09,280 --> 00:01:11,680 Speaker 1: these people to bring someone who is not on the 18 00:01:11,720 --> 00:01:15,320 Speaker 1: invitation list. Be clear that you expect them to bring 19 00:01:15,360 --> 00:01:18,400 Speaker 1: a friend. This is not just an offer to bring 20 00:01:18,440 --> 00:01:20,959 Speaker 1: a plus one if they would like. It's more like 21 00:01:20,959 --> 00:01:23,959 Speaker 1: a potluck where all the guests are counting on each 22 00:01:23,959 --> 00:01:27,080 Speaker 1: other to contribute to the party so there is a 23 00:01:27,080 --> 00:01:32,000 Speaker 1: full spread, except instead of bringing brownies or apasta salad, 24 00:01:32,720 --> 00:01:35,920 Speaker 1: you are bringing a friend who is open to new friendships. 25 00:01:37,560 --> 00:01:40,160 Speaker 1: The obvious benefit of a friend of a friend party 26 00:01:40,240 --> 00:01:43,480 Speaker 1: is that everybody gets to meet new people. All of 27 00:01:43,520 --> 00:01:46,600 Speaker 1: these new people already know someone that you like and know, 28 00:01:46,760 --> 00:01:50,000 Speaker 1: so that is a pretty big plus mark for them. 29 00:01:50,600 --> 00:01:53,760 Speaker 1: But you may be in for another treat too. You 30 00:01:53,800 --> 00:01:57,000 Speaker 1: may get to know your old friends better because the 31 00:01:57,080 --> 00:01:59,160 Speaker 1: new friends will bring out sides of them you haven't 32 00:01:59,160 --> 00:02:03,640 Speaker 1: seen before. You may never have heard about Colleen's experiences 33 00:02:03,680 --> 00:02:06,960 Speaker 1: living in Madrid as a middle schooler, or John's love 34 00:02:07,000 --> 00:02:12,280 Speaker 1: of botanical drawing, or Morgan's Nascar fandom. But with new 35 00:02:12,280 --> 00:02:15,720 Speaker 1: people added to the mix, your perspective on your old 36 00:02:15,760 --> 00:02:18,880 Speaker 1: friends may get broader when you see your old friends 37 00:02:19,480 --> 00:02:23,520 Speaker 1: through new eyes. You may be wondering whom to invite 38 00:02:23,560 --> 00:02:26,120 Speaker 1: to a friend of a friend party. If you have 39 00:02:26,160 --> 00:02:29,280 Speaker 1: a circle of friends you get together with regularly, they 40 00:02:29,320 --> 00:02:32,560 Speaker 1: could be the basis for the gathering. Each of those 41 00:02:32,600 --> 00:02:35,359 Speaker 1: friends could bring a friend of theirs, whom the others 42 00:02:35,360 --> 00:02:38,840 Speaker 1: in your circle may not know, but really a friend 43 00:02:38,880 --> 00:02:41,519 Speaker 1: of a friend gathering could work with any assortment of people. 44 00:02:42,680 --> 00:02:45,160 Speaker 1: You can invite a group of people with something in common, 45 00:02:45,280 --> 00:02:49,960 Speaker 1: for instance, new parents or people without kids, avid readers, 46 00:02:50,560 --> 00:02:53,800 Speaker 1: or newcomers to your town. You could ask each of 47 00:02:53,840 --> 00:02:58,040 Speaker 1: them to invite someone who also shares that characteristic. You'll 48 00:02:58,160 --> 00:03:00,240 Speaker 1: end up with a group of people with a ready 49 00:03:00,240 --> 00:03:04,280 Speaker 1: made topic to connect over. If you're not comfortable hosting 50 00:03:04,320 --> 00:03:06,000 Speaker 1: a bigger group in your home, you could also do 51 00:03:06,040 --> 00:03:08,359 Speaker 1: a friend of a friend gathering with a smaller group, 52 00:03:09,280 --> 00:03:11,520 Speaker 1: or you could have the event somewhere besides your house. 53 00:03:12,160 --> 00:03:14,360 Speaker 1: You could rally two or three friends for a picnic 54 00:03:14,360 --> 00:03:16,240 Speaker 1: in the park and ask them each to bring a friend, 55 00:03:17,080 --> 00:03:18,560 Speaker 1: or you could have everyone meet up at a bar 56 00:03:18,680 --> 00:03:23,080 Speaker 1: or coffee shop. Whatever the guest list and venue, a 57 00:03:23,120 --> 00:03:25,359 Speaker 1: friend of a friend gathering can be a great way 58 00:03:25,360 --> 00:03:28,280 Speaker 1: to meet new people and enjoy time with people who 59 00:03:28,320 --> 00:03:33,120 Speaker 1: are already friends. You learn new things and will find 60 00:03:33,160 --> 00:03:37,160 Speaker 1: a ready made way to connect. If you host a 61 00:03:37,240 --> 00:03:39,000 Speaker 1: friend of a friend party, I would love to hear 62 00:03:39,040 --> 00:03:42,800 Speaker 1: about it. You can reach me at Laura at Laura 63 00:03:42,880 --> 00:03:49,040 Speaker 1: vandercam dot com. In the meantime, this is Laura. Thanks 64 00:03:49,120 --> 00:03:53,440 Speaker 1: for listening, and here's to making the most of our time. 65 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:04,240 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening to Before Breakfast. If you've got questions, ideas, 66 00:04:04,360 --> 00:04:07,760 Speaker 1: or feedback, you can reach me at Laura at Laura 67 00:04:07,880 --> 00:04:17,159 Speaker 1: vandercam dot com. Before Breakfast is a production of iHeartMedia. 68 00:04:17,839 --> 00:04:21,799 Speaker 1: For more podcasts from iHeartMedia, please visit the iHeartRadio app, 69 00:04:22,080 --> 00:04:25,320 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.