Turning Strangers into Friends
- Abby
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
A Peek into the world of Meet5 Captains
Did you know that we have over 250 Captains in the United States? Captains are the heart of the Meet5 community. They're the local leaders, friendly faces, and party starters! Wherever the Meet5 community is active, a Captain is not far away.
For someone new to the community, joining a Captain's activity for their first one is a great idea. The Captain embodies the warm, open, friendly spirit of Meet5, and can help the newcomer feel extra welcome.
But what's it like being in their shoes? What's their advice for planning activities, breaking the ice, and helping make people who are new or nervous open up?
We asked our community captains for their advice, and they shared lots of tips and tricks with us!
One common theme was that a welcoming environment starts well before you walk into the activity. According to Lena, "One of the main things for me is breaking the ice ahead of time in the group chat. I find that’s the best ice breaker before getting to the event and it allows people to ask questions. This is normally where I introduce myself first when hosting an event." Talking in the group chat ahead of time is a great idea! This way, you don't start off the activity as strangers. Maggie agrees that a warm welcome starts well before the event day. "Before hosting, do your homework. Know the venue, parking, whether they serve food, if there's an admission fee, and any other details your members will need. The more information you provide, the smoother the event goes." It's true! When expectations are set, there's less room for confusion. Then there's less logistics on the day, and you can get straight to the fun.
Soon enough, the day for the gathering comes! But what if it's a crowded place (the best spots always are)? Everybody's profile photos on the app ensure you know who you're looking for. But a photo isn't the same as knowing what someone looks like IRL - maybe they recently got a haircut or are wearing a hat. How do Captains make sure everybody finds each other? Says Lena, "When I get to the event, I utilize the group chat to provide a meeting point and describe what I’m wearing so they can find me."
Maddie adds that sometimes she brings a balloon. "For new members, I make it easy to find us by using a balloon on the table and telling them what color to look for." She's not alone - a lot of the US captains have taken to bringing a balloon! Not only does this have higher visibility than a table card, but it warms up the atmosphere to feel immediately celebratory.
A few captains have observed that more often, those nervous to go to their first activity are women. Safety is top of mind for us - we work hard to keep the app safe, to enforce our community guidelines, and ensure activities always happen in public places. As our trusted local leaders, Captains are also a part of making sure members feel safe.
Julie makes an extra effort to message women after they come to her activity. "I message them a simple thank you for coming, it was nice meeting you and I look forward to hanging out again. People message back nice things like, thanks, I'm looking forward to (event) with you next week!"
Tina highlighted the efforts of a fellow captain. "Our captains here are just amazing. One in particular, Bill, goes above and beyond for the women in our community to make sure everybody feels safe, and that’s very important. His activities always fill up because he always has everybody's back and he's safe to be around." Way to go, Bill!
So you've planned the activity, you've found your crew, and everybody's around the table. A whole group of friendly strangers are about to become friends, and they're all looking to the captain to kick it off. How does a captain turn strangers into friends?
Amy says it's as simple as "open conversation." When new people feel included, they warm up fast! Maddie adds of newcomers, "When they arrive, I introduce them to everyone so they immediately feel included. A warm welcome makes all the difference, and I often hear this from members." Dawn and Ritta agree it's all about a friendly demeanor. Dawn says: "I let my new friends speak. It's a no judgement zone, and we're here to have some fun. People can sense your aura." Ritta says it's simpler than you think - that things get rolling pretty quickly. She says, "I introduce myself and thank them for coming. Then I let others introduce themselves and pretty quickly, the good time commences."
Friendly people find themselves drawn to the captain role. Being a captain offers extra support for building relationships and community, and lots of recognition and gratitude for being the nice person they are! Lora says, "I'm naturally a friendly person. Talking comes natural to me so I always say something off the cuff to break the ice!" Lena agrees, "I’m a people person so most people just naturally gravitate towards me and we always have loads of fun no matter the number of people."
Overall, everybody on Meet5 is here for the same reason - having fun and making new friends. This means you can expect everybody at an activity to be open minded and open to new friends, whether they're nervous or not. Lena says, "if you're shy, I know it's harder. My advice is, look for the friendly face and introduce yourself. Once you're talking, everybody warms up fast and we all jump in to the conversation."
Ready to take the leap and make new friends? Find a Captain-led activity in your area today. Look for the friendly face, and possibly a balloon, and let the good times roll!
