Time by yourself is important, but not when you’re out getting drunk or playing a team sport. That’s just sad and impossible, respectively. Join a social club to find like-minded peers before it gets weird.
Best for … Adventure
“If you had an eighth day, what would you do with it?” asks social club, 8th Day Adventure. Whatever your answer, this group encourages you to squeeze it into your seven-day allowance, with activities ranging from climbing, running, hiking and biking to Ultimate Frisbee, surfing, skiing, wing-walking, fencing, jousting, coasteering and more. Founder Ross Williams tells us: “The club has events on a daily basis and covers just about everything – and it has a very prominent social element.”
Info: £25 for annual silver membership, £60 for gold, which includes free weekly activities. If you’re one of the first 30 to join myTNT’s VIP club, you will receive membership for free.
Best for … Art lovers
Promising to “blow a tornado through your weeknight social life”, Love Art London arranges behind-the-scenes gallery tours, chats over tea with famous artists, sneak previews and even the chance to be part of a flash mob. Now that’s just cool.
Info: £15 for one event, £25 for unlimited events each month.
Best for … Sporty types
Go Mammoth is a club after our own hearts – it combines sports and drinking. “Go Mammoth is the UK’s ultimate sport and social club and simply exists to make your life more fun,” says the club’s Emma Saunders. “All you have to do is sign up for the sport or class of your choice and away you go.”
They offer weekly boxfit, pilates, fitcamp and zumba classes and run competitions for all levels of volleyball, dodgeball, softball and more – join as a team or as an individual (teams are always looking for extras). Just as important are the party nights on the last Friday of each month. This is when the Mammoths of all sports get messy with two-for-one drinks.
Info: Classes from £28 per month. Sports £65-£95pp each season (8-12 weeks long).
Best for … Social butterflies
If you just want to meet people and have fun doing it, CitySocializer is an online social club where members in your area suggest meet-ups, from barbies in the park and after-work drinks to last-minute holidays. Or you can suggest your own event.
Info: Standard membership from £7.99 per month, premium from £9.99 per month.
Best for … Aussies
Anzac and Australia Day. Ashes. Grand Finals. State of Origin. These are moments we need our fellow countrymen. “We are a fun and exciting group of like-minded Aussies who enjoy getting together in a show of camaraderie and patriotism,” says Stephen Atkinson, or Stevo, founder of the Australian Expats in London Meet-Up group. Yeah, take that Brits. We might live in your country but it doesn’t mean we have to hang out with you.
Info: £1 annual membership fee.
