There
are many ways that tech-savvy people can meet up with and get to know other
people with similar interests. The best way to meet others that have similar
lifestyles is to find places where like people gather and come together.
User Groups
There are hundreds of user groups all over the US that cater to any type of interest. There are advertisements in local papers or on Craigslist when user group events are planned. There may be a social media page for user groups in the local area as well. There will be a gathering of people, sometimes large and sometimes small, that will listen to a speaker in the professional field, or may have a panel of experts to discuss certain topics in line with the event.
Usually, the speaker will talk about a certain technology or methodology. Afterwards, there will be a time for the audience to ask questions or make comments. Any question about the subject is welcome, and usually the speaker is glad to go over anything that may be difficult to understand for some.
Afterwards, there is a time to gather and chat with other participants about any topic. Sometimes this is easier if there are some similar faces, but there may be a few awkward moments before people start getting to know each other. Eventually, many of the same people start attending the same future group events, and there is more socialization with each gathering.
Gradually, it will be easier as everyone gets to know each other. Exchanging business cards and personal information is a great way to network and get to know others in a different environment. Socialization is easy because everyone in attendance at the group event has at least one thing in common.
Bar Camps
Bar Camps are groups of people who have interests that revolve around technology and the internet. They get together for a "conference" type event. At this event, there are workshops that attendees can participate in. Attending a bar camp can be a great way for a technology-minded person to get to know others with the same interests.
Gaming and comic cons are similar in nature to bar camps. Some usually take place when a new game is launched. Newbies can ask for tips and tricks from more professional gamers, usually personally or thru their gaming site, if they have one.
Code Camps
Code camps are similar to bar camps. They are also free to attend and usually happen on the weekend. There are typically different presenters that are members of the local community. Different community members will suggest topics to be discussed, and it is not unlikely that those same people present the information to the group.
Code camps are used by the community to promote software development. They usually last for one day, yet there are many different topics of discussion to attend. This would allow someone the opportunity to get to know many different people during the day by choosing different tracks.
Bar camps and code camps are full of people that have similar interests, and there are also many speakers and discussions that appeal to large amount of people. These are excellent ways to meet people that share similar interests. The topics are intriguing and most people are excited to get to know other participants that share their lifestyle and interests.
Much like user groups, the more bar camps and code camps that someone attends, the easier it gets to meet and get to know others. People can be successful at doing this by working up the courage to speak to someone that they may find interesting. There are other events in addition to these suggestions. Using the internet to locate some of these groups can be the best way to get the most up-to-date information.
Marcie Mehegan has been an online writer and blogger since 2007. She has a degree in marketing and currently writes on social media marketing, business technologies and other related topics for businesses.