Questions to Ask New Friends
Loneliness isn’t just unpleasant. It’s potentially bad for your health. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, studies have shown that being lonely or socially isolated significantly increases a person’s risk of experiencing a host of undesirable outcomes, including death, dementia, heart disease, stroke, depression, anxiety, and hospitalization.
Making friends is a great way to fend off loneliness, and our list of questions to ask new friends will help you get started. With each question, have a few follow-up questions ready to keep the conversation going. If you’re friend-to-be takes the conversational bait, use the right follow-up to keep things moving. However, don’t make the mistake of forcing things along a script. There’s no need to get all your questions answered, and it’s fine if the conversation heads in completely unexpected directions as long as everyone involved has fun!
Are You a Coffee or Tea Person?
This is a great opener because it’s a low-pressure topic. Very few people consider this information to be overly personal, and many are willing to joke about it. Their response will allow you to get a feel for their personality, and you can easily follow up:
- Do you have a favorite brand?
- Do you ever dabble in decaf?
- Is there a snack you have to have while you enjoy your drink?
What Is the Most Interesting Place You’ve Ever Visited?
Inviting people to discuss their travels can be fun. It also offers plenty of opportunities for more questions:
- What did you enjoy most about the place?
- What did you like least?
- Is there somewhere you always wanted to go?
- Do you have any travelers’ stories that you’d like to share?
Is There a Skill That You’d Like to Learn or Get Better At?
Your conversation partner may be a budding musician or a proud grandma who would like to take better pictures of their grandchildren. They might be a frustrated chef or gardener or painter. The possibilities are endless. Just be ready to share your own dreams and ask the appropriate follow-up queries:
- Have you ever given it a try?
- Are you going to take some classes?
- Would you like to see if we could find some lectures or exhibits to attend together?
When You’re Feeling Off, What’s Something That Will Always Raise Your Spirits?
Friends are supposed to help their friends feel better, so why not make it clear right from the start that you’ll make that job a priority? This question also invites your conversation partner to talk about something that comforts them, so you should hopefully win points for that. Having good follow-up questions ready will also help:
- How do you use that knowledge to give yourself a boost on bad days?
- Are there things that help?
- Do you have tips and tricks that can break a bad mood?
- What never fails to make you laugh?
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Growing older gives people the chance to master a wide array of skills and amass a bounty of life experience. Sadly, it doesn’t seem to make the prospect of trying to make new friends any less intimidating. Seniors who settle in senior living communities have a major advantage. Their living arrangement provides plenty of opportunities to interact with others, socialize, and form friendships. At Kinship Pointe, we’re proud to provide excellence in senior living.