Latest news with #FirstTimersClub
The Age
a day ago
- Lifestyle
- The Age
I paid to have dinner with strangers and this is how it went
To my left was a globetrotting photographer, lured by the same late-night Instagram ad. Across from me were a Luxembourger who had recently moved to Melbourne for love, and a teacher who crocheted human anatomy in her downtime. We discussed food, travel, work, life in the city and the novelty of dining with strangers. Loading The app I used markets itself as a way to meet strangers and help combat 'big-city loneliness', rather than as a dating app. Let's be frank, making friends as an adult is hard. No wonder there are plenty of new businesses offering to help. Communal dining, running groups, games nights, bars full of singles ready to mingle, speed dating, the list goes on. Canny enterprises are capitalising on our collective loneliness, offering social experiences for generations burnt out by dating apps and yearning for the magic of real-life encounters. Tellingly, people are clambering for in-person human experiences over virtual ones (though you probably need a digital screen to find out about them). Melbourne's First Timers Club, which invites strangers to try out new things and meet people in the process, began as an Instagram post and now has almost 30,000 followers. While dating apps may be one of the most popular ways to meet a romantic match in modern times, swipe fatigue is real. According to a 2024 Forbes health survey, 79 per cent of Gen Z feel burnt out by dating apps. We've never been more digitally connected, yet one-third of Australians feel lonely, according to a 2023 report from Ending Loneliness Together. Something is wrong. Worryingly, the report researchers also found that the stigma and shame around loneliness is also high, preventing people from getting the connection and support they need early on. The results are alarming; loneliness can be fatal. According to the World Health Organisation, people lacking social connection face a higher risk of early death. Social isolation and loneliness are also linked to anxiety, depression, suicide and dementia, and can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. I can't say the lofty ideals promised by the app were achieved with a simple weeknight dinner – plus the $24 booking fee – but I'm glad I decided to go and have the conversations I did. The night appeared to be a success, the banter flowed and everyone who came along seemed uplifted by the experience – we didn't even need to reach for the ice-breaker games. Sadly, efforts to continue communications over WhatsApp died quickly, but I found my night out with strangers was a tiny act of rebellion in a world pushing us to be increasingly insular.
Sydney Morning Herald
a day ago
- Lifestyle
- Sydney Morning Herald
I paid to have dinner with strangers and this is how it went
To my left was a globetrotting photographer, lured by the same late-night Instagram ad. Across from me were a Luxembourger who had recently moved to Melbourne for love, and a teacher who crocheted human anatomy in her downtime. We discussed food, travel, work, life in the city and the novelty of dining with strangers. Loading The app I used markets itself as a way to meet strangers and help combat 'big-city loneliness', rather than as a dating app. Let's be frank, making friends as an adult is hard. No wonder there are plenty of new businesses offering to help. Communal dining, running groups, games nights, bars full of singles ready to mingle, speed dating, the list goes on. Canny enterprises are capitalising on our collective loneliness, offering social experiences for generations burnt out by dating apps and yearning for the magic of real-life encounters. Tellingly, people are clambering for in-person human experiences over virtual ones (though you probably need a digital screen to find out about them). Melbourne's First Timers Club, which invites strangers to try out new things and meet people in the process, began as an Instagram post and now has almost 30,000 followers. While dating apps may be one of the most popular ways to meet a romantic match in modern times, swipe fatigue is real. According to a 2024 Forbes health survey, 79 per cent of Gen Z feel burnt out by dating apps. We've never been more digitally connected, yet one-third of Australians feel lonely, according to a 2023 report from Ending Loneliness Together. Something is wrong. Worryingly, the report researchers also found that the stigma and shame around loneliness is also high, preventing people from getting the connection and support they need early on. The results are alarming; loneliness can be fatal. According to the World Health Organisation, people lacking social connection face a higher risk of early death. Social isolation and loneliness are also linked to anxiety, depression, suicide and dementia, and can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. I can't say the lofty ideals promised by the app were achieved with a simple weeknight dinner – plus the $24 booking fee – but I'm glad I decided to go and have the conversations I did. The night appeared to be a success, the banter flowed and everyone who came along seemed uplifted by the experience – we didn't even need to reach for the ice-breaker games. Sadly, efforts to continue communications over WhatsApp died quickly, but I found my night out with strangers was a tiny act of rebellion in a world pushing us to be increasingly insular.
