I'm a boomer who moved to a new community and felt lonely. I made friends by doing things I cared about and staying active.

Tue, 06/25/2024 - 08:52

Ellen Acconcia and her husband holding a notebook while outside in front of a mailbox that says — Ellen Acconcia and her husband moved to North Carolina early in 2020 and she had to find new ways to make friends.
Courtesy Ellen Acconcia

My husband and I moved to a new community early in 2020 and I felt lonely.
I decided to take charge of making new friends.
To meet new people, I stayed active and pursued my goals, but I also didn't force it.

Two weeks after my husband and I moved to North Carolina, I ran down our front steps and landed in the driveway with a broken ankle. It was March 2020, and the world was shutting down due to the pandemic. Locked down and unable to meet neighbors or join community activities, I was now relegated to the couch in a cast.