The proven effects of social nudity on mental health stem partly from the freedom found by shedding our clothes, but also from the sense of friendship found in the Naturist community.
As we move towards the summer season there are many opportunities to attend events and activities, practise Naturism with the wider community, and find new friends. However, we know that attending a first event can be a daunting prospect for many and it is often lamented that a crowd can be the loneliest place in the world if you don’t manage to connect with people.
At a Forum Live session last year we asked members to share their top tips on how to make friends and be part of an event and this is what they came up with:
- If you have never attended a Naturist event before, uncertainty about etiquette such as “do I require a towel”, “how do people greet each other”, or “are there discussion topics to avoid” can make you very anxious. These things are frequently discussed in the BN members’ area/forum on the website and it is worth looking for some of those threads in advance, so you are confident that you are not going to get caught out.
- Similarly, not knowing what will be happening can make you anxious. Most events will have a programme of activities. You don’t need to learn it as things are announced at the time but looking over it in advance will give you confidence.
- Naturists are very sociable, but if you always sit in the same place, the number of people you encounter is limited. Plan to change your seat at different sessions, you will make many more connections.
- Sit in the middle of the room; if you sit in the corner, people may think you don’t want to be disturbed and leave you alone!
- Attend the whole event. It is tempting to think of just going for a short while to see how it goes, but once an event is up and running it is much harder to integrate. You will have a much better experience by committing to the whole event.
- Check the schedule for opportunities for newcomers. Some events will have a Meet and Greet or a gathering point for newcomers, which provide great opportunities to connect with others in the same situation.
- Most events will have a forum thread in the build-up. Put a post on that thread - saying hello and that you’re new will make connections in advance and let people know that you would appreciate some interaction once there. You won’t be the only person going on your own and hoping to make friends; signalling that in advance breaks the ice.
Hopefully these tips will help you to make friends and have a great time. We will see you there soon!