New York City is one giant melting pot, millions of people from all places on earth squeezed into 300 square miles. Of course you’re meeting new people left and right… right? Wrong. New Yorkers can be friendly to strangers, but stepping into their world is a real challenge. We dig individual canals through this city by treading the same ground over and over again: the same train to work, the same dive bars afterwards, the same friend’s band’s show, the same hungover brunch spots. Eight million people all brushing shoulders with each other, but no more than that.
And now they’re saying that loneliness not only sucks, it’s killing you, too. (Thanks, science!) Oh, on top of that? It’s crazy difficult to make friends as an adult — even more so in NYC! If this is true (and not just some friendless social researcher’s cry for help), then you gotta do some work to get the odds in your favor. Sitting inside moping won’t help and asking a stranger on the subway to be your friend will likely get you tased. If you want to make friends in a city full of strangers, you need exposure to people you’d never meet anywhere else. And if the people won’t come to you, then you must go to the people! Cue NYC Social.
NYC Social is a team sports league with a focus on making friends. Since 2004 they’ve been getting people together to have fun with crazy sports like kickball, dodgeball, and skeeball. There are even some more traditional games for you purists, such as softball and basketball. And this ain’t your play-well-or-everyone-hates-you league. NYC Social is about having fun.
Laural Simeon, 30, joined an NYC Social kickball team in 2013 along with some old college friends. What began as a lark turned into some serious friendships. “Playing kickball was more me wanting to hang out with my college friends. I had no idea that four years later I would be going on ski trips with [other players] and doing all these different things.”
NYC Social isn’t just for people with friends already. You can join up on your own and you’ll join a team with other folks looking to start fresh like you. “I would say don’t be afraid to do it by yourself,” Simeon says. “If you’re friendly and fun and want to meet people, you’ll definitely make new friends.”
NYC Socialites don’t just play games and go home. After each game, teams go to bars and play each other in flip cup. It’s your chance to even the score and bond with your new buddies. “You become friends with people on the teams because you go to the bar every week with them and play games,” Simeon says. There’s even a yearly flip cup tournament where the best teams vie for the beer-downing crown.
These aren’t the kind of fuddy-duddies you work with all day. You know, the ones who won’t even stick around for happy hour because they have to catch the train to West Connectichester or whatever the hell lies north of Yonkers. These are people who want to get out and have fun.
Busy? NYC Social has tons of leagues, with one sure to match your new schedule. And the best part is everyone you play with is going to be free at the same time! It’s like a guaranteed friend date with a whole bunch of cool people.
If your life is looking like an Edward Hopper painting, then do something about it. Give NYC Social a try. They’re expanding their leagues in Brooklyn with fitness classes and new sports!
Choose from:
– Beach Volleyball
– Kickball
– Softball – New!
– Bocce
– Yoga Classes
-High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) Classes – New!
– Kan Jam – New!
– Flag Football
– Cornhole
– Basketball
Special for Brokelyn readers: use code BROKEBK for $5 off Brooklyn leagues. Players can join as a full team, a small group of friends or solo. Registration for the Spring season closes March 29th, so sign up now at nycsocial.com.