Kickin’ it Old School: Why In-Person Events Are the Secret Weapon for How to Make Friends and Find Love in 2025

Nothing makes a millennial contend with their own mortality quite like seeing mid-2000s trends resurfacing - and it’s not just Ed Hardy and low-rise jeans. While some people, like Gen Z are trading in online shopping for live-sale vintage bargain-hunting, you’ve probably noticed a shift of people ditching the apps for IRL dating and ways to make friends. And you’d be right!

I recently joined the Curated Questions podcast — a show that dives deep into relationships, friendship, and connection in the modern world, and why in-person meetups are having a much-deserved renaissance. If you’re interested in how to make friends as an adult, navigating dating apps without burning out, or understanding why in-person meetups are making a comeback, you can listen to the whole episode on Apple Podcasts or the Curated Questions Website.

And be sure to follow Curated Questions on Instagram and YouTube for more ideas on building real-world connections.

Why Friendship & Dating Events Are Making a Comeback

Dating apps once felt exhilarating, but now many describe them as exhausting, an endless slog through mediocre profiles. At the same time, folks looking to make new friends as an adult are finding that casual, low-pressure ways to meet new people are harder to come by than ever, especially with the increasing lack of third spaces. That’s part of why Skip the Small Talk events are gaining so much traction — they’re designed to help you have meaningful, one-on-one conversations with multiple people in a single night.

In most of our cities, these events focus entirely on platonic connection — helping people expand their social circles, meet like-minded friends, and build genuine relationships offline. In select cities, we also host speed-dating events for those interested in exploring romantic connections.

Both formats help you build emotional resilience, boost your mood, and gain real-world connection skills you simply can’t get from the apps.

Why Group Events Hit Different

Humans evolved in tribes — we’re wired to feel safer in groups. That sense of safety, combined with the novelty of meeting new people, fulfills social needs that one-on-one hangouts with your existing friends (or endless swiping) can’t.

On the podcast, we explore a range of topics, including how to date in your 20s and 30s, how to make friends in a new city like Boston, and why Gen Z and Millennials often miss out on group socializing, further feeding the loneliness epidemic. We also discussed how social media can promote connection and be a great supplement to in-person interaction — but never a substitute. Without real-life experiences, it’s easy to get stuck in an echo chamber or feel weighed down by social comparison.

The most surprising thing we learned? The Grumpier You Come, The Happier You Leave

One of the most surprising research findings I shared:

“The worse mood you were in coming into an event, the greater the mood boost you saw by the end… Whenever I see someone being really grumpy on the internet about like, ‘This sounds dumb. Why would I do this?’ I’m like, ‘You’re perfect. Come, please!”

Per the study conducted on Skip the Small Talk events by a third-party researcher at Tufts: “The higher the depression score was prior to the event, the higher the reduction in negative affect was following the event.” Whether you’re feeling skeptical, socially anxious, or just stuck in a rut, showing up to an event — whether for friendship or romance — can give you a bigger mood boost than you’d expect.

One more awesome thing the study found: even if you come in pretty happy, you still left happier!

If you’ve been thinking about it, now is the time to try it out!

If you’ve been relying on swiping apps or just feeling stuck in your social life, join a Skip the Small Talk event in your city or online. Whether you’re looking for friendship or romance, you’ll leave with new connections — and probably a smile. See our schedule and get tickets here.

Folks at an actual Skip the Small Talk event I hosted!