Making friends with your neighbors when you’re new to an apartment community, or even when you’ve been there a while, is intimidating. However, it’s worth pushing through that intimidation, as the benefits of making friends with your neighbors make the struggles all too worth it. After all, with neighbors as your friends, you’ll always have a friend nearby. If you’re having trouble reaching out to those who live around you, try these tips for meeting new people in your apartment community.

Put Yourself Out There

One difficulty many people have when making new friends is that they keep waiting for someone else to “make the move” and introduce themselves, often to limited results. Rule number one in making friends: you have to put yourself out there! Chances are that your neighbors probably feel the same awkward reservations that you may be feeling. Also, remember that it doesn’t take much to make new friends – a simple “hello” when passing each other in the hallway can be more than enough to spark a new relationship. You’ll probably find that any awkwardness quickly dissipates once you simply greet someone.

Start a Group

Some of the most successful relationships are founded upon common interests. Surely, there are at least a few people nearby that share a hobby or activity with you. Consider starting up a movie night or book club to bring your neighbors together to participate in things that not only interest you, but interest everybody else, too. If your community has a bulletin board, see if you can post a flyer advertising your new group. Or, check online to see if there are any discussion boards centered around your community or nearby area.

Make Use of Your Community’s Common Areas

Your community has amenities, so use them! These areas aren’t only great for established groups, but they’re also a good place to meet your neighbors, too. For example, if you make it a daily habit to visit the fitness center in your apartment community, you’re bound to run into the same people on a regular basis. While you probably want to stay focused on your workout, don’t be afraid to leave your earbuds out for the first few minutes so you can greet the other people you’re sharing the area with.

Keep an Open Mind

Try not to be too selective in the people you choose to associate with, and you might just have a few pleasant surprises. While you can forge a great relationship on shared interests, remember that not all friendships have to be with people who are similar to you. In fact, these types of friendships may be the best kind, as they can push outside of your typical comfort zone, teaching you things about the world and making you grow as a person.

In the end, it isn’t all too difficult to make friends with your fellow apartment community members. The hardest part is getting over that initial nervousness to reach out to your neighbors. Once you’ve crossed that barrier, you’ll find that most people are willing to make a new friend.