Do you remember how you had more friends as a kid?

Yes, the struggle is real now.

You can’t wait to go home after work, yet you wish you had more energy to socialise.

There are plenty of people who, more likely than not, also feel that it is increasingly harder to make friends as they get older.

Why do people stop making friends?

When you hit the adulting stage, focus shifts to your career and opportunities to make friends dwindle.

Interacting with others can also be tough because it gets awkward.

If you’re wondering where you can put yourself out there, how about your neighbourhood?

Since most of us spend the bulk of our time at home, it takes just a small amount of effort to get out of our comfort zone to get to know someone next door or a few floors away.

And the upside to many of these interactions is intangibly beneficial.

Think: Widening your worldview, appreciating differences, developing a new understanding, building a community, and having a sense of belonging - all of which cannot possibly be tagged with a dollar figure.

Making friends with a person a whole generation older or younger than you will even give you access to life experiences and perspectives that you may have never considered before.

And now imagine you being that new friend to someone else who wants to make that little social connection.

It’s easy the first time you get into the lift and exchange pleasantries by saying, "Hi", and doing the typical head nod thing because it’s customary and the polite thing to do.

But how do you progress from the initial wave-and-smile acknowledgement?

Some amongst us have managed to find a way out of this "How to be friendly without being a weirdo?" conundrum.

Meet a friend in your neighbourhood

The mission to connect people from all walks of life across different generations is currently being facilitated by Friendzone SG.

Not that kind of friendzone, though.

The company’s name refers to the goal of creating “zones” of “friendship”.

Friendzone will be hosting two consecutive series of intergenerational events in various heartland neighbourhoods from now till October 2024.

Powered by the National Youth Council and supported by the National Youth Fund, facilitators at these events will guide participants from various estates on what to do through conversations, as part of the process of getting to know one another better.

In the first 30 minutes of each session, a short icebreaker activity will allow those present to introduce themselves to one another.

There will also be no chance for awkward silences as conversation cards will keep the exchanges going in fun and easy ways.

Some questions to get the ball rolling include, “What is one thing you like and dislike about your neighbourhood?”, as well as, “On a scale of 1-10, how closely do you relate to/ identify with your own generation?”

The aim is to show that there is value in differences and something to give and receive from one another.

And what is a gathering without food and drinks?

Most events include dinner and (non-alcoholic) drinks, because what better way to bond than by eating and drinking together?

Upcoming Friendzone activities

Ultimately, Friendzone aims to create a community within neighbourhoods and across generations through curated conversations to exchange ideas, expand networks, and most of all, make new friends.

“Ok Boomer...But Wait” will be the first series, consisting of 10 events for Gen Z (16 to 27 year olds) and millennial (28 to 40 year olds) participants.

It will consist of facilitated conversations in the heartlands, such as Sengkang, Yishun and Tiong Bahru.

These conversations will allow participants to share about their respective quirks, approaches to navigating adulthood and different outlooks on life.

The second series, which will take place between August and October 2024, will aim to bring together young adults (18 to 35 year olds) and older working adults (35 to 55 year olds).

Such sessions could also facilitate an exchange of mentorship or professional opportunities that are built on friendships.

And conversations don’t have to end there.

Participants are encouraged to stay in touch with one another by exchanging contacts or social media handles so that they can meet up on their own.

If you're ready to put yourself out there and be part of a more connected community, participate in an upcoming event to create your zone of friends here.

Want to know which neighbourhoods Friendzone is hitting? Here’s the list of “Ok Boomer...But Wait” events:

• Bukit Panjang & Bukit Timah (May 23)
• Chua Chu Kang (May 28)
• Sengkang (Jun. 6)
• Toa Payoh, Bishan & Marymount (Jun. 13)
• Bedok (Jun. 19)
• Tiong Bahru, Tanjong Pagar & Queenstown (Jun. 20)
• Yishun (Jun. 26)
• Punggol (Jul. 3)

If you don’t live in any of these neighbourhoods, don’t worry.

Friendzone runs events for young adults all over Singapore and from all backgrounds.

Check out their Instagram and Telegram to see what else they’ve got coming up.

This sponsored article by Friendzone left this writer feeling less alone knowing that a lot of people feel alone together.

Top photos via Friendzone