I moved to Canada to be with my husband and had no friends. I joined a book club, gym, and gardening community to meet new people.

In 2022, when I moved from India to Canada, I was so excited to reunite with my boyfriend (now husband) that I didn’t think about the challenges of moving.

I had jetted across the world before, at 17, when I moved to the US for college. If I could adapt then, how hard could it be 10 years later? It turns out very.

I realized that all my friends were my husband’s friends whom he met through his MBA in Canada. While I appreciated the social circle he has built and found some deep friendships through it, for me, the thrill of moving also meant meeting new people.

In college, you can find friends through classes, clubs, and parties. Living in a big city like Toronto, I wasn’t too sure. So, I started looking right in my proximity.

I joined a gardening community in my condo

Condo living isn’t conducive to making new friends. Most people are on their phones even on 20-second elevator rides. But I found out that my building had a garden community. As a plant lover, I signed up for it.

The first meeting felt surface level. By the second meeting at the rooftop terrace, people got chattier as we were turning the soil to plant new seeds. A fellow member complimented me on my outfit, and we started talking. She was a business owner like me, and my heart did a little dance at the thought of us having much to talk about.

We started casually hanging out in our building before going out for drinks. I realized she was easy to talk to and a truly genuine person. We’ve been friends for a year, and the best part is we can make impromptu plans like going for a walk, having breakfast, or having a girls’ night at home.

I learned that you must be willing to take chances to meet people, giving an authentic compliment is a great way to start a conversation, and friendships that require little planning are the best.

I signed up for a book club

In the summer of 2024, I found out that a coffee shop near my house was starting a book club. As a lifelong reader, I signed up. With a dozen or so members at each meeting, I loved our intellectual discussions. Although we weren’t friends who hung out regularly, it was nice to see them every month and share a completely different type of friendship based on a deep love for stories. I would also see many of them whenever I popped by at the café.

I learned that not all friendships have to be built around constantly texting, drinking, or sharing meals. Having friends that you see only to play a sport or discuss a book with can be equally fulfilling.

I got a gym membership

When I lived in New York, I met many people through hot yoga. I wanted to replicate that in Toronto. Almost two years ago, I used ClassPass to attend a strength training session at a nearby gym. Although the class made me unsure of my cardiovascular health, the trainer (and owner) made me feel much more at ease. Soon, my husband and I signed up for their membership. We became friends with the owner couple, who were extremely warm, friendly, and attentive.

My best and earliest memory of them is celebrating Diwali at our place. Even though the festival was new to them (they’re Lebanese), they blended in with our friends, played games, and even tried to speak Hindi. We’ve been friends ever since — having game nights, celebrating birthdays and ugly sweater parties, and enjoying many fun — and grunting — moments at the gym. Through this community, I’ve also found many other friends, all in different stages of life, often opening my eyes to unique perspectives.

I learned that having friends who are different from you is extremely important. Living in a city can feel like spending most days in a bubble. Having friends from various professions, backgrounds, and even age groups has helped me look at life in a more wholesome and selfless way.

As a newcomer to Toronto in my late 20s, I thought cultivating new friendships would be tough. But these avenues opened new doors for me. I’m happy that I put myself out there because it led to some amazing new and, hopefully, long-lasting friends.

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