(1) If you're looking to meet someone new, you might have already tried online dating. But did you know that you can make friends with people in your city, too?

Participate regularly in multiple online communities. Making friends is sometimes a numbers game, much like dating. That means that the more potential avenues you have for meeting people, the better your chances are of actually meeting someone you like spending time with! Comment and post regularly in the groups that you’ve joined. This will increase your chances of having a positive interaction with someone.

People are also much more likely to notice you if you participate in multiple groups.

(2) When you're in a relationship, it's easy to get caught up in the excitement of finding someone who understands you and makes you feel understood.

But that excitement needs to be balanced with a bit of perspective—and that, unfortunately, means making sure your relationship isn't just based on "fighting" and "making up."

So how do you balance things out? By making sure that both of you are putting in an equal amount of time and energy into communicating with one another. If you're always the one sending the first message, asking all the questions, doing all the talking, or even writing longer responses than them most of the time, it means the investment is not equal.

If this is happening for you, take some time to think about what might be going on here. Is something bothering your partner? Are they not as interested in connecting as much as they used to be? Do they have other issues going on in their life that might come between them and their partner? If so, talk about it! Remember: communication is key when it comes to relationships!

(3) If you want to get to know someone, you’re going to have to share a little about yourself.

We all have skeletons in our closets, and if you want to make a friendship with someone, it’s important to build trust first.

It’s important to share and allow yourself to be vulnerable because that’s how people form connections with each other. However, don’t overload the person with too much information on yourself at once! Start with the basics about yourself and save your deepest secrets and other more personal information about yourself for another time after you’ve gotten to know each other better.

For example, maybe you start by sharing about where you grew up and what kind of music you like—then later when it feels right, move on to deeper topics like career choices, relationship issues, and other personal problems.

(4) When you're talking with a friend, give them your full attention. Being a good listener is an essential component of friendship.

When you’re friend is talking, make sure to look them in the eyes and show interest in what they’re saying. Put away your phone or any other potential distractions when you’re talking with your friend. Some other good listening strategies to adopt include:

Nodding to show that you understand what they’re saying.

Using leading phrases (like "right?" or "I see") to show that you're listening, such as "Right," "I see," and "Go on."

Asking questions if something they say is unclear, such as, "What did you mean when you said that you couldn't play last night?"