Platforms For Socializing In The Real World

The inception of the internet in the 1990s has created avenues to undertake and perform countless pursuits in a timely manner. The characteristics of the internet also amplified the scope of human communication. In 1997, the world was introduced to its first-ever social media site, Six Degrees. It enabled the user to create a profile page, in order to build connections. The feature of messaging was key as it introduced the concept of instant communication.

The establishment of the first social media site was evidently not a brief stint. Six Degrees sowed the seed for what would grow to be the most engaging and used social media platform, Facebook now renamed Meta. After its initiation in 2004, the user base of Facebook grew from 6 million in 2005 to 2.96 billion in 2022.

It was the most celebrated and talked about social media platform until its competitor now turned sister company Instagram came into play to share its laurels. Instagram was launched in 2010 and it was initially identified to be a photo-sharing platform. Nevertheless, its prompt updation of features has made its user base grow from 10 million in 2011 to 1 billion monthly active users in 2022.

Facebook and Instagram help users stay connected while remaining miles apart. However, how about making connections in the real world? Here are some platforms that are trying to facilitate building real-world connections:

• Meetup
  Meetup was set up in 2002 and has since been utilized to organize events and in–person meet-ups. Unlike Facebook and Instagram, Meetup does not imbibe features that categorize friends or followers. A user can organize a group to include other users who wish to participate in events. The maintenance of the group is subject to a fee and the kind of events that can be hosted must be in compliance with the policy of Meetup.  
  
• We3
  We3 was launched in 2017 and it serves as a platform that caters to the socializing needs of people. The platform matches people into a group of three and this categorization is based on shared interests. We3 fosters adult friendships, and it is identified to be a safe and fun platform to meet new people.
  
• Mingout
  Mingout enables the building of connections through virtual hangout workshops and sessions. It works on the principle of “finding your tribe” and aids users to find their kind of people. A patron invite is necessary to enter Mingout and it is focused on creating a community space to promote healthy connections.  
  
• Unblnd
  Unblnd aims to encourage real-life experiences. To achieve this, users are included in interest groups based on their location and interesting activities. The user can also send individual requests to other users’ part of the same group if he/she wishes to build a one-to-one connection. Unblnd adheres to community guidelines and imposes great emphasis on personalization.
  
• Wink
  Wink shares similar characteristics with Tinder. The only difference is that instead of finding a potential partner, users of Wink will find potential friends through the swipe feature. Users who agree with at least one of your interests are shown on your recommendation.
  
• Atleto
  Atleto is mainly for fitness freaks. The platform helps users to find their fitness community in order to sport together. It is an objective-specific platform designed to assist users in their fitness journey. Users can choose from over 40 sports to find the right and motivated fitness partners who can offer their best support.
  
• Peanut
  Peanut is created as a platform to present networking opportunities to new moms. It is an initiative to assist in the prevention of postpartum depression. Chat rooms, group conversations and community meetups are important features of Peanut that ease the postpartum journey.
  

The platforms to socialize in real life are many yet an unavoidable fact is that it does take a considerable amount of time and energy to make new friends. The talking stage starts online and there is no surety of receiving a favourable response.  It may force you to give up on the pursuit of finding new connections.

To approach this from a different angle, STYCH gives you the option to socialise with like-minded people while you are out exploring places or pursuing your hobbies. The process of socialization is quite simple: go out, meet and repeat.  Don’t wait around to make new connections! Just go out using STYCH and maybe you make a good real-world connection today.

Our web app is live @  https://stych.social and you can explore places in Bangalore and make connections.

Feel free to let us know your thoughts here: https://stych.social/#feedback and if you would like to chat, please WhatsApp us at +91 8073420377!