This is a real friendship story about Sophia, who moved to a new town without knowing anyone, joined Gofrendly, the women-only friendship app, and ended up in a close-knit gang of friends. Here’s how it happened, as she told it to us.
Key Takeaways
- Sophia moved for a new job without knowing a single person, and her first six months were pretty lonely.
- After a coffee with Erika and Amy, Sophia was invited to padel, where they met Sandra, and then Sofia and Lisen joined.
- About two years later, the gang celebrated midsummer together at Sophia’s parents’ home.
Sophia’s Real Friendship Story
“I moved here in 2020 without knowing a single person. I’d got a job here and felt I needed a fresh start. The first six months were pretty lonely – at my new job everyone was older, and I found it hard to make friends,” Sophia says.
“So I tried Gofrendly, and it was a real success! It started with me having coffee with Erika and Amy, and we clicked straight away. Then I was invited to play padel with some girls, and I brought Erika along. There we met Sandra, who we also started spending time with.”
“I could never have dreamed of having friends this close in such a short time!”
— Sophia, Gofrendly memberHow the Gang Came Together
“The town is small enough that what happened next was that Erika and I met the same person without knowing it at first. That was Sofia, who then joined our little gang that had suddenly formed. The last one in was Lisen, who I got in touch with, and she quickly became part of the gang – it turned out we all went to the same gym, so it became a natural meeting place almost every day!”
Two Years Later
“About two years later, we celebrated midsummer together at my parents’ home. I’m so incredibly grateful for these girls – I could never have dreamed of having friends this close in such a short time!”
You’re Not the Only One
Sophia’s first months in a new town were lonely, and she’s far from alone among young women. In a Belonging Forum poll on young women and loneliness, carried out by Opinium, 49% of women aged 18 to 24 said they felt lonely often or some of the time, compared with 29% of the general population.
49%of women aged 18 to 24 in the UK said they felt lonely often or some of the time, compared with 29% of all adults.
Source: Belonging Forum / Opinium survey of 10,000 UK adults (March 2025)
Ready to Start Your Own Gang?
Gofrendly is a women-only app for meeting new friends, one coffee at a time.
What Sophia’s Story Can Teach You
Her story is a reminder of a few simple things.
- One coffee can lead to more. It all started with a coffee with Erika and Amy.
- Bring someone along. Sophia brought Erika to padel, and that’s where they met Sandra.
- Shared routines help. They all went to the same gym, so it became a natural meeting place almost every day.
Frequently asked questions
Is this a real Gofrendly member story?
Yes. Sophia shared her own experience of how her friendships started on Gofrendly, and her story appears here as she shared it with us.
How did Sophia’s group of friends form?
Step by step: a coffee with Erika and Amy, padel where they met Sandra, then Sofia, whom Sophia and Erika had both met without knowing it, and finally Lisen, who went to the same gym.
Can I share my own Gofrendly friendship story?
We’d love to hear it – every real friendship story starts with someone sharing theirs. Share your friendship story through our form.
If you’ve just moved, our guide on how to make friends in a new city is a good place to start, and our guide is it normal to not have friends? explains why the first months somewhere new can feel so quiet.
