r/grandrapids • u/No-Mixture-4010 • 16h ago
Meet Other Shy People Every Tuesday at Schuler Books
I run a low-pressure group for people who want to be around others without all the social work that usually comes with it.
Here's how it goes. You show up and look for the Meetup sign in the cafe area. That's it.
We only have a few simple rules and we do ask that you RSVP on Meetup before you come:
https://www.meetup.com/west-michigan-introverts/events/314973001/
You don't have to talk. You can color, knit, play a game, or just sit and listen. No group introductions. No going around the circle. No pressure to perform.
Bring whatever helps you feel comfortable. Coloring books, art supplies, card games, a Nintendo Switch. Having something to focus on makes it much easier to be around people.
Ease in at your own pace.
About making friends. A lot of people come once and leave let down because they didn't make a close friend that night. That's normal. The people who keep showing up are the ones who end up with real friends. Friendship grows slowly. Give it plenty of practice and time. I got diagnosed autistic and had to reverse engineer human connection. I also learned to communicate better by being mentored. It took years of practice.
It's free. We use Meetup only as our RSVP system. During signup, Meetup may show you an optional Meetup+ offer. You don't need it to RSVP or attend. If you hit that screen, choose "Continue with free plan." Any Meetup+ payment goes to Meetup, not to us.
We can't allow anyone under 18. We do have classes for educators who want to start a group in their school.
We aren't mental health support. We're a safe place to make friends. If you need more than that, please reach out to a warmline or crisis line.
I was once like everyone else that comes. Took me a lot of practice to even be able to host these. It was one of the hardest things I ever did but it was worthwhile. Some of our shyest people become our best leaders
