Any reviews?
I have joined some MeetUp groups in my area: a widow/widower of baby boomer age, a folk singing group, a wine tasting group, a senior group with various activities - dinner, movies, bowling.
It’s a nice way to meet folks/try something new. Some I try to attend fairly regularly, others only when it fits my schedule, and some just the once.
Overall it has been positive then? Not scary or awkward?
No scary. Positive experience here.
My cousin has done several language related meet-ups and had positive experiences.
Thanks!
Baby kid started a foreign language meetup group. No weirdos showed up. Just normal, interesting folks. They met at a pub.
Not scary. Most meet in public places, occasionally events are held in private homes.
I won’t go to a private home without first attending the group in a public space.
Some groups allow anyone to join; in others, the organizer vets prospective members.
Most require a photo on your profile.
Yes! I’ve been to a few hiking Meetups.
First one was super awkward because the hike leader did not show up & there wasn’t an obvious second or third choice person to lead the hike.
Other hiking Meetups have been fine to good to great. Definitely not scary. Lots depends on the organizer, IME. Almost everyone I’ve chatted with in Meetup groups has recommendations for other groups, depending on your interests.
My conclusion is most people are just looking for other nice people to do things with. NOT necessarily looking for their next BFF. That should take some pressure off.
Do it! And report back!
I love Meetup. DS was a member of two fun Meeetups when he lived in San Jose but hasn’t been as successful in Seattle.
When we moved here knowing no one, we joined a Baby Boomer Meeetup that basically created a social life for us. So many wonderful friends and a huge variety of great activities. We do tons of activities both via Meetup and independently with other Boomers.
But it can be hard to sift through the groups and you have to learn how to read them. A lot of them are thinly disguised commercial entities. Others get started and never get anywhere. You really need committed leaders and event organizers to be an ongoing success. Check to see if there have been regular meetings in the past and how many are scheduled for the future. See how many attendees there were - I’ve seen Meetups that sounded interesting until I realized only a handful of people at best go to the events. Look at photos if possible to get a feel for who else joins.
Thank you - very helpful. I am one of those people who never posts their pictures on anything -so I would have to get over that.
I’m in a number of professional meetup groups. The quality of the group varies depending on the enthusiasm of the leaders and the participation of those who join.
I’ve found meetup to be very respectable. I do agree there are some that are thinly veiled sales pitches, I typically look through previous meetups a group has held and if possible view message boards to get a feeling for the group.
You may have to attend a number of meetups before you find groups you click with - but it’s a great way to find people with similar interests.
Most of the meetups I go to are sponsored by business and held in offices, but non-professional meetups will often meet in restaurants, coffee shops, outdoors, or in venues related to the objective, such as a museum. If you think a location looks sketchy - skip that one.
My experience with meetups has been most attract a fairly balanced group of people who are experienced in the topic as well as novices. It’s been a great way for me to network.
Many of the events I go to are free, some charge a small sum. It does cost the organizer of the group to use the meetup platform. It’s not a lot, but it’s not a free application. Usually this is pretty clear up front - for example if meeting in a restaurant, it will say every participant is responsible for their dinner costs + $1.
Thanks!
I love meetups! Most are people looking to meet others with common interests. You can have a photo, or some just have a avatar picture. A few meetups want a picture so they can identify you when you arrive.
Generally meetups are very welcoming to new members - and will go out of their way to include the new person and encourage them to attend .
You should check out past meetings to see how active a group is, and if they are doing things you are interested in. You can try groups out and find ones that you enjoy.
Not scary, you just have to overcome that first new meeting. Go for it.
I organize a Meetup group of women over 40 who go to the independent movie theater and out to dinner once a month. I took it over from someone who abruptly decided to close the group (one drawback of Meetups). Many of the women in my group go regularly, and we usually have a few new faces every month.
At this point, it’s the only one I go to. It’s been hit or miss with others, and it can be a little intimidating walking into a room full of strangers. If you have one that’s a small dinner or brunch group, that might be the best way to meet people.