Get Out, Have Fun, Meet Someone!

25 TIPS FOR NEW MEMBERS!

To Get the Most Out of Your Events and Adventures Membership

Just Show Up - Stretch Your Comfort Zone - Overcome Fears - Attend Events
Somebody once said, “90% of life is just showing up.” This couldn’t be more true than for Events and Adventures. Sure, showing up to your first event can be uncomfortable. But so was your first day of school or your first day at a new job. All of these things pay off in the end.
Attend a New Member Icebreaker
When you first join Events and Adventures, you may feel like you are the only new member. At a New Member Icebreaker, you meet other people who have joined recently. We encourage all new members to participate in a New Member Icebreaker during the first month of membership.
Tell the Event Host at the Event That You Are a New Member It is the host’s job to help you feel more comfortable at events. They will be happy to introduce you to other people, if you let them know that you want them to do that. If the event host is not doing this…please let us know at the Events and Adventures office at the number on the front cover of this handbook.
Be Proactive - Introduce Yourself to People at Events REMEMBER: People joined Events and Adventures to meet other new people. They want to meet you. If they are new, they are feeling as shy and uncomfortable as you might be. Even if they have been in the club for a while, they were in your shoes at some point. Other members, new or old, welcome you to introduce yourself.
At First, Attend Smaller Events It can be very uncomfortable to walk around a room of 50-60 people you don’t know. Start off with smaller events where introducing yourself is less intimidating. The Events and Adventures staff can direct you to smaller events. Call your membership representative for this direction.
At First, Attend Activity-Based Events Rather Than Spectator Events Activity events give you a better chance to mingle and meet multiple people. Although spectator events (theater, sports, etc) are fun, they generally require sitting in one spot and often the event limits talking.
Stay in Touch with People You Meet Because we have so many events, members often hit it off with someone they have just met, but sometimes find a long time passes before they see that person at another event. If you meet someone you like, be proactive. Trade e-mail addresses, exchange business cards, set up a time to do something with them again. A good way to suggest meeting again without being pushy is to arrange to see them at another event that you both enjoy.
Don’t Be Afraid of Perceived Cliques Sometimes you will see a group of people together and you may assume that they all know each other well and that they would not want you to join them. Wrong! People do tend to gravitate first to people they know. However, they would not have joined this club if they were not interested in meeting new people. Introduce yourself! You will likely find you are welcomed into the “group” with open arms.
Choose Events That Attract People You Want to Meet If you’re looking for a risk-taker, go sky diving. People interested in the arts, go to the museum. Athletic people play sports... If you appreciate fine dining, go to dinner!
Choose Events That Attract People in the Age Group You Want to Meet Certain events attract younger members (rock-climbing, dancing, Generation-X events), while other events attract an older crowd (dinners, cultural events, discussion groups).
Choose Events that Attract People of the Gender You Want to Meet Some events generally attract more women (dinners, dancing) and some attract more men (athletic, happy hours).
Compare Event Schedules Encourage people you know to go to events you plan to attend. Make “dates” with your friends to attend the same events. This way you will always know people at an event. But don’t forget to mingle!
Go on an Overnight Trip During daily events, people keep their game faces on. It may take you a while to get to know them. During overnight trips, people let loose and open up faster. Many of the best friendships in the club are formed on an overnight trip.
Want to Meet a Special Someone? Become Friends First One thing members love about Events and Adventures is they can get to know people in a casual environment before they date them. Take your time. Have fun. Get to know some people. Make friends - then date. You’ll find that relationships last longer and you will make many great friends along the way.
Be a Carpool Driver For events that are far away we often offer carpools. What better way to get to know people than to spend an hour with them in an automobile? Many carpools could be arranged in advance if you find you are attending the same events as others in your area of town.
Become a Good Conversationalist Want to be the most popular person in the group? Learn how to listen! People love other people who are truly interested in them. Ask some questions and sit back and be an active listener. Seen any good movies lately? Read any good books? What’s been your favorite Events and Adventures event so far? Once the conversation is started, share yourself, but make sure it is a two-way conversation. If you find that people are making excuses to end a conversation with you, it probably means you are doing most of the talking. Be aware of body language, if their eyes are glazed over, or they’re asleep on the floor in front of you - and you haven’t noticed, you’re probably talking too much. Guys, want to meet women? The single biggest complaint that women have about men is that they don’t listen. Change that perception and you will be the most popular man in the room.
Dress For Success You have already made an investment in Events and Adventures. Now make sure your appearance matches. You do not have to be a movie star or on the best-dressed list, but appropriate dress for the event - Men, the use of iron is never a bad idea!
Are there lots of couples? Some. It certainly is not the case that everyone is paired off. In comparison to the total number of active members, the number of couples is relatively small. Most of the couples in the group have met through the club. It is definitely possible to be a couple and remain active.
How organized are the events? There are hosts present at each event unless otherwise noted in the event description. If you’re not sure who the host is, just ask! The host will probably have the sign-in sheet on a clipboard and be wearing an Events and Adventures lanyard, so they’re easy to identify. The level of direction, of course, depends on the nature of the event. At larger venues, the staff of the establishment will be made aware of our presence, so they can usually help you find us as well (though we’ve had situations where we told them and the employees either didn’t listen, forgot, or didn’t care, so look for the lanyards!)
Suggest Events Where You Have an Area of Expertise A number of our members have expertise in certain areas and have suggested and led special interest events for us. Being in a leadership position always helps you meet others. Just ask the event coordinators!
Talk to Long-Time Members Everybody in the club has been in your shoes. Ask long-time members how they get the most out of the club. This will give you new ideas, and also, you are likely to be introduced to other members.
Bring a Guest Some people feel more comfortable with at least one other familiar face. Feel free to bring a guest. They may have so much fun, they end up joining Events and Adventures! Each guest may attend two ‘member only’ events and then must join to continue to be part of the fun..
Sign - Up Early - Cancel Before Deadlines - Put Your Name on a Waiting List Some events do sell out, so sign up early. If you need to cancel, do so more than seven days out, so there will be no penalty. If the event is sold-out when you sign up, put your name on a waiting list. If we have enough warning, we may be able to get more spots or repeat the event. You may also get in if someone cancels the event.
Be a Mentor Remember what your first event was like? Remember how you felt being the only new member in the room. Once you have been a member for awhile, how about helping a new member get to that same comfort level? If you see someone at an event that has that wide-eyed look of a new member - go introduce yourself. Then introduce them to some of your friends. Make them feel comfortable. They will appreciate it and will likely do it for someone else someday. We have a hospitality team of members. Volunteer to be part of the team.
Finally - Push Yourself - Try Something New - Go to 4 or 5 Events Your First Month Everyone feels a little uncomfortable at their first few events. By your fourth event, you will start to recognize faces and make friends. Give it time. The payoff is worth it!

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