• @[email protected]
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    10411 months ago

    DON’T go to the corner. Sit at the bar (or lean if there’s no stool). You have to be seen to be acknowledged else they’ll think you want to be alone - bar knowledge #2.

    • @[email protected]
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      2611 months ago

      Was about to comment this. When I was a young guy, that was my go-to when I was new in town. Make friends with the bartender, letting them know what you’re up to, and if they know of any work. Maybe make some friends, connections. Graduate from bar to board game night. Move out of the shelter into an apartment. A-bing a-bang you got a job, a nascent friend circle, and a place to lay your head at night.

        • @cmbabul
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          1411 months ago

          Also Strider was clearly looking for someone specific, if you just want to meet people and make friends you need to be seen and even more importantly be seen as friendly and safe. Talk to the staff when they aren’t slammed, if they like you other people will be able to tell and be more inclined to talk to you.

          Additionally not a single person on Lemmy is in the same ballpark as Aragorn in any way, assuming that what worked for him will work for anyone else is vanity

          • @[email protected]
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            111 months ago

            I mean, apprehanding little people specifically will not work out well, however trying to chat someone up just might

  • @[email protected]
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    7511 months ago

    I think if you’re going to sit alone in the corner of the bar and drink, you need to be wearing a cloak

    • The Octonaut
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      2011 months ago

      And have at least one quest and a small bag of gold coins with you for when the adventurers act like you’re not all here to do adventuring stuff for fun

    • @samus12345
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      11 months ago

      And a hood that’s obscuring your face.

    • @[email protected]
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      11611 months ago

      A lot of my friends worked in the bar and restaurant industry over the years and I’ve spent a shit load of time in bars. I’ve had several bars that were my regular haunts for a few years at a time, and I’ve gone through a few completely different sets of, like, “bar friends” over the last 25 years. (One of the “bars” was more of a bar/coffee shop where I drank way more coffee than booze, mind you, but anyways…)

      • don’t sit in the corner. The bar is where it’s at.

      • talk to the bartenders a bit. Ask about the local scene. Any events going on? If it’s a sports bar, ask about any PPVs coming up if they do that sort thing. If it’s a music bar, ask if they have any good bands coming up or if there’s open mics or whatever. At a minimum that starts up a conversation for a few minutes and gets the ball rolling. Of course, if the bar is being slammed, don’t just pester the bartender like a jerk, they still have other customers and a job to do, but part of their job is getting folks to come back. Repeat business is generally better business, and if you ask about what’s coming up in the future, you’re showing interest in coming back.

      • go a few times over the course of a few weeks. People will probably start to remember you.

      • any activities at the bar? They have dart boards? Pool tables? Open mics? I’ve sucked at darts and pool but I still played ‘em, and even played in some dart leagues, and no one really cared that I wasn’t particularly great ‘cause neither were they — it was all just an excuse to get out of the house for a bit.

      • the music scene is where I landed in the end. That’s been the last 15 years for me, really. It all just started by showing up, asking about shows, “any good bands coming up? What are the Bluesy Jazzies like? I’ve never seen them before, they worth the cover?”

      • don’t limit yourself to bars. Coffee shops, table top game stores, go bowling, whatever. It’s all really just about talking to people, starting with the chitchat, making inquiries, getting involved in some activities. Eventually you’ll be socialized as fuck.

    • ReallyKinda
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      3611 months ago

      Find a dive bar and go at the same time/times every week for at least 8 visits. You’ll know it’s a dive bar if it smells like the beer has soaked into the walls and floors and someone offers you a bump of coke in a bathroom that’s too small for two people. You will absolutely make friends but they might not be the best influences on your life. They’ll be really loyal and probably kinda funny though.

      • @TurboDiesel
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        2411 months ago

        Bonus: if you’re gay, the guy offering you a bump will usually also blow you in said too-small bathroom.

    • @MissJinx
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      11 months ago

      See that’s the wrong idea, meeting people in bars can be creepy and dangerous. For everyone alone that want to meet new people go for some classes or groups. In anything that you think interesting. Learn a new language, join a dance class, theater class, matial arts, Hiking group, advocacy, do some charity work, learn some obscure sport like disk golf, go do some larping… whatever floats your boat. Don’t go for things you don’t already like a bit, like if you are an indoor person don’t go for hiking, it can get old quick. This are the nice and cerified ways to meet new people without being awkward

      • @[email protected]
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        1611 months ago

        There are lots of people who go to bars who aren’t creeps. I have several friends I can trace back to meeting while out drinking, and others from other activities like some of the ones you described. No need to shame people who socialize at bars

        • @MissJinx
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          11 months ago

          You are right! It wasn’t my intention, I corrected. But I’m a woman so that’s a real thing for us a lot of times

          • @[email protected]
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            611 months ago

            Yeah I get that, best to mitigate safety risks by going with others you already know, but that certainly defeats the purpose of this thread

      • @[email protected]
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        11 months ago

        Where can I find a drinking alcohol, making comments about sports that I stole from the internet, and playing so-so darts, class to sign up for?

        • @MissJinx
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          211 months ago

          Beer making and Beer tasting. There are classes on beer tasting and even beer tasting contests.

      • @STUPIDVIPGUY
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        811 months ago

        not necessarily creeps but definitely true that bars are great if you wanna make friends with elderly alcoholics

      • Nate Cox
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        111 months ago

        This is the way. If you want to make friends it’s so much easier when you start with a shared interest. Made many good friends in martial arts despite not being great at making friends, the ice breakers were all taken care of for me.

      • Throwaway
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        011 months ago

        What happened? Bars used to be the place to meet people.

        • @MissJinx
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          211 months ago

          TBH I’m not saying you can’t, just that it’s harder if you are not a social butterfly, which is a fair guess. My suggesrions are more natural, less invasive and less awkward. But IDK the intentions. I’m a woman and for me and many friends it’s very very hard for us to just start talking to a stranger. It’s dangerous too. I just wanted to give another option for someone that wants to make lasting relationships

  • mommykink
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    3111 months ago

    Meeting people at bars in general is a meme. Loud music and drunk people who won’t remember your name in the morning, why would you think this is a good place to make actual connections?

    The real place (if you want to keep the alcohol theme) is a brewery in the afternoon/evening. Much more laid back atmosphere, and you already have an opener for meeting people, “been here before?” “What do you think of the Sweatibals IPA?,” etc. Not to mention the fact that the crowd at a brewery versus a bar is completely different and usually more welcoming to random, real conservation in my experience.

    • @ChickenLadyLovesLife
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      211 months ago

      more welcoming to random, real conservation

      Just remember to bring your bald eagle.

  • @DirkMcCallahan
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    2111 months ago

    That’s why you drink alone for 6 hours and hope that someone talks to you.

  • @[email protected]
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    1411 months ago

    I wonder why no one suggested yet to just go to a group that looks cool and say “hey, I’ve come here alone and want to meet people, would you mind if I join you?” and the answer will almost always be a resounding “yes” and you will be adopted.

    • @GeoGio7
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      2411 months ago

      I really don’t think that would work, it would be very awkward forcing something like that. Unless everybody is absolutely smashed you could maybe have that but it would still be not great

      • @[email protected]
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        11 months ago

        I’m not sure how to argue with this except with “I have done this so many times and never received another answer”. I had no friends.

        • @GeoGio7
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          511 months ago

          It really depends on the people, personally if the person gives of good vibes I would 100% let them join because we’re all there for a good time and to have fun and be jovial

      • @[email protected]
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        611 months ago

        This was my go to method of meeting people at college parties (which is admittedly a slightly different environment), but it never failed to work. Long as you aren’t giving off “creep” vibes most people are also down to meet new people

      • @[email protected]
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        11 months ago

        No, actually, the answer will still be the “yes”. However, what happens after is by no means guaranteed and I’ll make no comments on.

        • @[email protected]
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          511 months ago

          What, didn’t you know that most people read your mind and all of your memories to evaluate your worth as a person before accepting social interaction?

        • @[email protected]
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          -311 months ago

          I can almost see how they come to a group of people and challenge the biggest dude to a challenge of alphas to get al feeeemales, or whatever latest brainrot image board convinced them the human interaction is.

    • @[email protected]
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      411 months ago

      There’s a bar here where, if I have a table outside, I offer to let people looking for a table share it.

    • @[email protected]
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      411 months ago

      “Hey, I’ve come alone and want to meet people, mind if I join you?” Also works a lot better for lonely/other asocial people in the bar, since asking about their day right off the bat can make them feel awkward

      • @[email protected]
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        911 months ago

        You have to be willing to walk up and introduce yourself, and also willing to deal with the risk of rejection. That fear of rejection piece leads people to make decisions that protect their egos but also leave them lonely or isolated

          • @[email protected]
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            211 months ago

            Really easy after enough practice to overcome that fear of rejection. But yes, someone who feels anxiety about the potential for rejection is probably going to struggle to just jump in and talk to strangers

            • @[email protected]
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              111 months ago

              I’m not afraid of being rejected I just can’t do small talk. It takes me time to figure out how to respond to something which usually causes an awkward silence for others but I’ve gotten used to it. If I do go up to someone and speak chances r that beyond that first sentence that I had already planned out I won’t be able to say anything else beyond “mmm” so how do I solve that?

              • @[email protected]
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                11 months ago

                People live talking about themselves. If you get them talking by asking some genuine questions, they’ll go for it. Iirc this is a good video to explain it briefly: https://youtu.be/vU-ibdHkz4Y?si=AgoPUH873IjpYJ0a

                Don’t forget though, you’re there to get to know folks. Not turn them into a science project or run a specific method. It’s okay to stumble over words or say you’ve had trouble making new friends lately (and leave it at that). People like helping innately if you ask or are a little vulnerable

        • @[email protected]
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          211 months ago

          For me I frame it less as a fear of rejection and more of a fear of putting someone in the inconvenient position of having to tell someone to go away.

          Tell me to fuck off and get lost to my face, fine. I’m the awkward extra wheel no one asked for in this situation, this is just an expected outcome. Tell me something I don’t know, lmao.

          But the thought that someone came to a bar to have a good time, only to be stained because some irritating creep (me) showed up out of the crowd and reached out unsolicited, well, that’s what’s soul crushing to me. The idea that my very presence may actively disrupt their night out makes me feel like an unwelcome prick just for being there.

          Of couse, that’s just a toxic fantasy I dreamed up in my own head. But so is just about any arbitrary mental barrier that prevents otherwise rational people from doing reasonable things.

      • oʍʇǝuoǝnu
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        611 months ago

        Maybe paint ball instead? Shoot someone in the neck and you’ll get a great story and an easy ice breaker.

  • @[email protected]
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    711 months ago

    barcades are a great option if there’s one nearby. “Hey, want to play?” is so much easier than trying to start a conversation unprompted

    • Calavera
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      511 months ago

      Wow, is this a thing? Never heard about it. I would like love to see play some old arcades in a bar

      • @[email protected]
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        311 months ago

        It’s definitely a thing in the US and I imagine a lot of other places. Even smaller cities will usually have at least one. Some aren’t going to have actual arcade cabinets (or not many of them), but will have consoles/emulators set up

  • ArxCyberwolf
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    311 months ago

    I sit upon my barstool throne

    I vow to never drink alone

    I only drink with friends or total strangers…

  • @Daft_ish
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    11 months ago

    I drink alone, yeah

    With nobody else

    I drink alone, yeah

    With nobody else

    Yeah, you know when I drink alone

    I prefer to be by myself

    • @Frozengyro
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      211 months ago

      My whole family done give up on me

      And it makes me feel oh so bad

      The only one who’ll hang out with me

      Is my dear Old Grand-Dad