It’s All About Who You Know

“Without friendship no one would choose to live,” Aristotle once proclaimed. And who would argue with the socially-conscious scholar? There’s certainly nothing wrong with being a lone wolf, of course, as enjoying a good book and introspective walks in solitary peace is sometimes a pleasure for all of us. But, what if you just don’t have the time for socialising with friends? Or even worse still, the majority of your friends immerse themselves into an unwelcoming oblivion so deep that their schedule can no longer fit in a single professional with the hunger for socialising and meeting new people?

Do not panic; if you fit this mould then you are among a healthy, growing community of people in the UK who have been left behind as their existing friendship base diminishes due to friends having children, meeting partners or learning to be happy staying in.

It is reported there are over 15 million single people in the UK, with a large number of them being between 20 and 30 years old who work, and recognise that as they get older their social network becomes smaller. Increasing demands at work are a huge factor contributing to these figures, with more and more young and ambitious professionals prioritising theirs careers over their social life. The gulf between career-driven folk and the family-orientated has become so vast that the internet and its unlimited social resources is the only thing keeping the two on speaking terms.

The web has become littered with suggestions, forums and sites providing “how to” guides ensuring people know How to meet the right person; How to meet the right person in your area; and even How to meet the right person in your area with the same lifestyle as you! This should make it much easier for you to escape the monotony of leaving work late at night, with a takeout in one hand and a bottle of wine in the other.

There has been a catastrophic rise in the popularity of social networking sites in recent years and the once indelible stigma of meeting like-minded people on the internet has finally faded away. The internet allows single, busy and active people to be far more proactive, and more importantly specific, when searching for friendship, companionship, or even love.

It is remarkable, however, that around 40% of adults still don’t, or haven’t ever, used a social networking website in the UK. An astonishing figure when you consider the ubiquitous Facebook and Myspace, but maybe an encouraging one if the future of socialising via the internet is to remain buoyant and not drown in the Facebook mediocrity of ‘poking’ and being informed that your friend of a friend’s cat is about to have kittens.

Typically, Facebook users (or Facebook addicts given that 50% of users return to the site everyday) almost have too much time to on their hands; crafting an elaborate and aesthetically appealing profile and adding friends for the sake of doing so. The art of true friendship is somehow lost, but you keep on accepting those friend requests, time after time and you end up asking yourself: Will I really ever see or talk to these people?

The list of social networking sites available in the UK alone is non-exhaustive, but it is estimated to be around 200 and expanding every month. Not surprising when it is a multi-million pound industry that is yet to captivate an entire nation.

To realise the definition of true friendship you surely need to assess your own position in life: Who are your friends and why? It isn’t a case of changing your lifestyle and work load, more finding the plethora of people out there who fit the desired criteria and are waiting to hear from you. (Not in the form of a ‘poke’ though – please!)

One social network that brings together outgoing professionals in cities across the UK, both online and offline at social events and activities is CitySocialising – a hub of 20 to 30-somethimgs that are experiencing a restricted social life due to relocating and accumulating work demands.

Sanchita Saha, CEO and Founder, says: “My biggest challenge when I first started out creating a network to like-minded city professionals, was in changing public perception via the internet to meet new friends. I believe that our focus on enabling like-minded users to connect with new friends in the real world, not just in cyberworld, is still a unique proposition that continues to provide a tangible and more valuable end result for our users.”

So it is reassuringly apparent there are now no excuses when searching for friendship. The internet makes it accessible, easy and fun for us all. No matter how busy you are!