[cybervegan]

What I have found works, is joining a group (club, volunteers group, sports team or whatever sparks your interest), and going as regularly as your schedule allows. In particular, help people out and do nice things like bring cookies or cakes (home-made is best if you can do it). Friendship takes effort, and requires maintenance.

I moved away from my home city about 20 years ago, and outside of work, I had no real friends apart from my wife, for about 10 years. Previously, I'd generally just "shared" my partner's friendship circles but this isn't ideal, as I've found don't have many interests in common with most of my partner's friends, which is awkward. I didn't consider myself isolated, or even recognise a yearning for friends in myself, but it does take a psychological toll.

I accidentally solved this problem by forming a makerspace and later, repair cafe - and this has bloomed into a decent, manageable (for me) friendship circle. I'm still not a massive party-goer, but then I'm in my 50s, so that's probably normal!