How to make friends on the Internet: 6 tips

Several recommendations for meeting interesting people and making new friends online.

The Internet is an area full of possibilities and that, despite the fact that until recently it has been unfairly associated with sedentary lifestyles, it can enrich social relationships if it is used well. In particular, making friends over the Internet is one of the most interesting possibilities offered by the network of networks, capable of connecting people who are thousands of kilometers away from each other in real time.

In the following lines we will see some useful tips on how to make friends on the Internet and use all the potential of cyberspace to meet people who bring us good things.

How to make friends on the Internet

To find out how and where to make friends on the Internet, follow the guidelines below, bearing in mind that you must adapt them to your particular case.

1. Look for thematic forums

There are many places on the Internet where you can exchange messages in the open, but the most useful when it comes to making friends are the thematic forums. Why? Among other things, because just by the simple fact of entering them there is already a topic of conversation that interests everyone involved..

Unlike other places explicitly designed to start conversations with strangers and make friends, in thematic forums there is no pressure to talk for the sake of talking, and the dialogue appears in a more fluid and natural way. Not only that, but it is enjoyable for the dual purpose of interacting with others and talking about a topic that interests us and about which we can learn in these kinds of virtual spaces.

2. Better forums than chats

Another tip is to opt for forums rather than chats, at least in the beginning. There are two reasons for this.

On the one hand, in forums, since you are not communicating in real time with other people, there is no pressure to write fast and well; we can take our time to create the messages we want to createWe can take our time to create the messages we want, whether they are long or short, and the answers to previous interventions.

On the other hand, in forums it is easier to follow the thread of a conversation, since there is the possibility of quoting others' comments and attaching our response just below. This helps to reduce the feeling of chaos and allows for richer and deeper conversations that are not constantly interrupted by the participation of others.

So, when it comes to making friends on the Internet, it is advisable to use the chat when there has already been a previous contact. and there is a certain level of trust, regardless of whether we have met the other person face to face or not.

3. Avoid toxic environments

It is true that on the Internet it is possible to meet a wide variety of people, but it is also true that in this context hostility comes more easily, due to the relative anonymity that we preserve in chats, forums and social networking spaces where we can interact with other people.

For this reason, it is important to avoid entering into toxic dynamics, which are those spaces in which personal disqualifications and bursts of flooding appear rather than discussions.. Since nothing good can come out of them, it is advisable not to waste time. It is important not to indulge in gratuitous provocations, as developing such a habit leads to spending valuable time on it that should be oriented to other forms of socializing on the Internet.

However, keep in mind that toxic spaces are not always just chains of replies to a message, or a forum thread. They can be something broader than this; for example, an entire forum as a whole can be full of people with a great facility for personal disqualification.

4. Beware of personal data

The fact that you cannot interact face-to-face with people on the Internet does not mean that we have the excuse to ask for contact details of someone we do not know right off the bat. And the same applies in the opposite direction: we must value our own privacy, since the network offers many things, but it also makes possible the most dangerous deceptions. but it also makes possible the most notorious deceptions based on the simplest personal data.Location, telephone number, where you are going to work, etc.

Do not lie about yourself, but filter well what you want to say and what you do not want to tell for the moment.

5. Go to get-togethers

Group meetings are a good way to socialize, since in a single day you meet several people. In this way, it is easier to fit in with someone and there is less risk of disappointment.. In addition, there is also the advantage that you don't need to have spoken for a long time with a particular person at a get-together; when you meet several people, it is easier to find conversations to participate in.

6. Be careful with online games

Online games are an interesting form of entertainment, but you should not play them if all you want to do is make friends. This is because if you get used to make your search for friendships depends on these games, you can spend too much time on it, and even money..

This kind of online video games should always be valued for what they are: games, places for roleplaying and experimentation and playable mechanics, and in which the social aspect plays a secondary and instrumental role in order to enjoy the entertainment offered by the title in question.