TLDR; - Look for friendship markets, not just activity groups - People are most open to new friendships when people are redefining themselves (i.e. school transitions, pregnancy, shifting identities). - You're not awkward, you're just searching in the wrong markets where people are open to conversation but not connection.

The advice or the reasearch in this article seems obvious to me - but I find it doesn’t resonate with many people. Basically, “you want to make friends or meet people, go do the things you like to do with other people.”

I have a number of acquaintances who that fall into the lonely and like-to-complain about it category, but never put the work in to making friends. As someone who has had to make a new set of friends at a late age, it’s work. And can be exhausting at times. But the effort is well worth it.