How do you reconnect when you move to a new town?

And don't worry about the sportswriter hours. Even if it's one day a week, they'll take you. Most organizations are always looking for volunteers, so they'll put you to work whenever possible. Habitat for Humanity is a great organization to meet people since there are so many people involved in building a house. That's just one of the top of my head. Good luck.

 

Lots of opportunities to connect with people and you have the chance to present yourself as you choose, since few people will have any preconcieved notions about you.

Volunteerism is good stuff. Any of the major health charities (Heart Association, Red Cross, Lung Association)are looking for help, from stuffing envelopes to sitting on boards. Alternatively, you could check out the animal shelter or the local hospital, big brothers/sisters or Boys and Girls Club. Each will give you alternatives and certainly won't hurt your community visibility and credibility.

This is also a time in your life to try new things with little downside risk if it doesn't go well. Want to dance? paint? learn photography? A city of 100K will have enough options to keep you entertained.

Good luck

 

If there is a literacy council in your area, as a writer, they'd love to have you sit on the board or tutor kids and adults who can't read and/or write.

 

No outing. Maybe she doesn't want people to know she lives in East Lansing...

 

East Lansing would have hockey.

I'll look into volunteer things around here as well. I think I assume there's less activities because I'm so used to being in and around cities where those are much better advertised. This town also has a lot of retirees and young families. There's a D-II college but it's the dinkiest little college in the history of colleges.

Thanks again everyone for all the advice. This is just a completely new thing for me - one at which I'm awkward even in the ideal situations. I really appreciate all the help.

 

Kritter, I'm in some of the same boat that you're in -- and, believe it or not, I'm not the most social person around. (Sxy, IJAG and Sam Mills will disagree based on being driven crazy on 12-hour car rides, but it's for real.) Being in a smaller town with few non-alcohol related hangouts (and few cool alcohol related hangouts) makes social opportunities limited.

One thing I am looking into is volunteering at the local hospital. They always have a need for people, probably especially during the day when most non-retirees are working.

Otherwise, just PM me during the day and I'll annoy the crap out of you to pass the time away.

 

Kritter, look up your local chapter of the American Cancer Society. The annual Relay For Life fund-raiser is coming up. Ours is in April. That'll be a good chance to meet some folks, have some fun and raise some money for a good cause.

 

Kritter, I second the Relay for Life suggestion. I've lived in some fairly small towns and there always seemed to be one. Are there any minor league sports in town like hockey and baseball? The town I went to college in had baseball and hockey.

 

now it sounds like you're just making excuses. you play hockey. ok, the town doesn't have hockey. maybe they have roller hockey or even just street hockey which probably wouldn't be anything organized? or some kind of inline skating club (or group or just an area where people do it). if not, figure out what you like about hockey and then pick a sport that has some similarities -- soccer? lacrosse? -- and learn how to play it by joining a team.

 

Yeah, I realize it sounds like that. The base issue is I'm not very good at meeting new people, so once I get pushed out of what I know, I get overwhelmed and withdraw to be a crazy cat woman without the cats. That's why I came here - to get suggestions so I can get ideas.

The local roller hockey group doesn't let girls play, but I'm looking into getting rollerblades so I can at least go out there and talk with them.

Relay for Life is a good suggestion. I did that I'm college, but hadn't thought it would be out here. I'll go check. Any Smartwriter - there's minor league baseball and indoor football. There used to be minor league hockey but they've been gone for a couple years.

 

That, and roller hockey and hockey are not the same thing.

Leo's point notwithstanding, they just aren't the same game.

 

For the Cancer Society -- go to www.cancer.org to find the local chapter. Or check with your paper's health reporter, they may have the local contact.

As for something else, does your community have a Young Professionals organization? That might be an outlet to consider -- many of those groups cater to newcomers.