Is it weird to go out alone? No. Here is how to do it easily.

Start with something where it is normal to come alone and where you can slip away quietly. A place a short walk from home is easier than one across the city. Weekday evenings tend to be calmer than Saturday nights.

• Talks and lectures: a seat, a speaker and something to talk about afterwards. People come and go freely.
• Guided walks: you walk side by side, which makes small talk easier than across a table.
• Choir and concert evenings: you listen together, and you can say hello in the interval.
• Film nights: you watch, you leave when it ends, and some have a short discussion afterwards.
• Language exchanges and conversation clubs: made for talking to new people, usually with a simple structure.
• Board-game nights: slow and friendly, with talk between rounds.
• Pubs: perfectly fine. Sit at the bar or a small table, order a drink (soft drinks are fine too) and join a conversation if one opens up. Nobody expects you to say anything.

You do not need an excuse. Say something short, like “I’m going to head off, nice talking to you”, and go. A quiet “have a good night” is enough. Leaving early still counts as a good evening if you went and tried. Deciding on a time before you arrive (“I’ll stay for one hour”) makes leaving easier, and you can always stay longer.

• Check the organiser’s page for the date, time and price before you set out.
• Arrive a little early, when the room is calmer.
• Choose a weekday if you can.
• Hold a drink or a programme: it gives your hands something to do.
• If it is not for you, leave and try another place.
• Choose public places, tell a friend where you are, and plan your own way home. We cannot vouch for any event or for who attends.