What’s better than making a new friend? Making a group of new friends! This is why Bumble For Friends has introduced our new Plans feature. Plans allows you to create, host, and attend events and gatherings that are happening nearby, so that you can meet other people on Bumble For Friends in person and start building new friendships. 

Using Plans and hosting a meetup not only helps you meet your connections IRL, but it also allows you to find more great people on Bumble For Friends who you might not have come across yet. Using Plans gives you a reason to reach out to new connections who you want to get to know better and lets you get to know a few people at once. This can help take off some of the pressure when you all meet up, and hopefully leave you with more than one new friend from the event! 

To use Plans, open Bumble For Friends and tap the gray calendar icon at the bottom of your screen to see the Plans tab. Then, tap the plus icon in the top right hand corner, and you’ll be taken to a screen where you can add the details of your activity and invite your Bumble For Friends connections to join. 

Not quite sure how to go about hosting your own meetup or what activity to choose? Don’t worry! We’re here to help. Read on for our top tips so that you know how to make the most out of Plans on Bumble For Friends.

Don’t be shy when creating plans

Everyone is on Bumble For Friends for the same reason that you are: to make connections and meet new people. That said, we know it can sometimes be intimidating to put yourself out there. If you’re feeling nervous about making a plan, try thinking about it this way: you’re giving others an opportunity to make new friends, and they’ll be grateful that you did. Plus, when you use Plans to organize a meetup, it shows confidence—and that you’re serious about making new friends, which will help attract others to connect with you. 

Feel inspired by shared interests with your connections

Not sure what kind of event to plan? A great place to start is to look at what you have in common with the connections you want to get to know better. If you’re all dog parents, create a “park walk with our pups” plan. If you see that a few people you’re talking to are also into rock climbing, plan to meet at a climbing gym. Do you all have the “Art” Interest Badge? Organize a trip to a ceramics class. This will give you the perfect opportunity to bond over something you’re all interested in, and is sure to get the others excited about your plan in the group chat. If you all have a blast and love the activity, you can consider making it a recurring event that will deepen your connections even further. 

Use Plans as a way to explore your city 

If you’ve recently relocated, you’re not alone; many other people are on Bumble For Friends to meet people after moving. Get to know new friends in your new city by making a plan around a local event that’s already happening, like an art gallery opening or a flea market. This will make organizing the itinerary easy—all you and your connections have to do is to show up and start having fun! You’ll also be able to talk about the other ways that you want to keep exploring the city, which can be the basis of the next hangout with your new friends.

Be open-minded when inviting people to your plans

When you create a meetup using Plans on Bumble For Friends that are public, anyone using the app can ask to join your plan. When you create meetups that are private, you can send an invitation to up to 15 of your connections on the app. Either way, don’t hold back when sharing your get together using Plans with others. Even if you’re not sure that a new connection is bestie material, go ahead and send the invitation if you’re intrigued to get to know them more. You never know who you might click with in person. There might be something that they didn’t list on their profile that you have in common, or you might really hit it off when talking face to face. 

Keep the friendship going after your meetup

Once the activity is over, you’ll still want to put in effort to maintain and grow your new friendships. If you’re really getting along with one or more people during your event, you can suggest a second hangout then and there by proposing another activity or by saying that you’d love to meet up again. If you don’t feel comfortable bringing up another friend date in person, or if you forget to, you can follow up by messaging something like, “I had such a great time today—let’s do something again soon?” or “I loved meeting you in person today! Want to head to the restaurant you mentioned next week?” Another easy way to foster these friendships is to use Plans on Bumble For Friends again and invite your connections to join one you’ve created or one you’ve discovered. 

When you use Plans on Bumble For Friends, you’re one step closer to making new, long-lasting friendships. All it takes to be a great host is creating a plan and following it through with enthusiasm and kindness—and you’ll be so happy that you did. There’s no limit to the number of meetups using Plans—or friends—you can make on Bumble for Friends.