Real Friendship Story: Emma & Ottilia’s Genuine Girl Gang

Emma reached out nervously, Ottilia went to a barbecue and Linda had her doubts. Together with Hanna, they became a close-knit girl gang.

This is a real friendship story about Emma, Ottilia, Linda and Hanna, four women who each found their way to Gofrendly, the women-only friendship app, and ended up as a close-knit girl gang. Here’s how it happened, in their own words.

Key Takeaways

Emma, who has moved to new countries and cities, nervously reached out on Gofrendly to girls she had never met.
Ottilia went to a barbecue organised by 20 women from Gofrendly, and a small group of them stayed chatting until 2 in the morning.
Linda had her doubts about making connections this way, and two weeks later she was celebrating midsummer with the girls she had clicked with.

Emma & Ottilia’s Real Friendship Story

Emma’s Journey

“I’ve always been drawn to the excitement of moving to new countries and cities. However, with every move, you’re faced with starting over. I remember stumbling upon Gofrendly one evening in my new apartment, creating a profile, and nervously reaching out to girls I had never met. It was a bit intimidating!” Emma says.

“My first friend date made me super nervous, but it was also loads of fun. It wasn’t until I met Hanna that I realized it could be more than just someone to have brunch with now and then. There was something truly magical about how we shared our dreams and realized how perfectly we clicked. That’s how I found my new girl group through Gofrendly.”

Ottilia’s Adventure

“I decided to attend a barbecue party organized by 20 wonderful girls from Gofrendly, and it was amazing! My goal that night was to chat with all of them. As the evening went on, people ventured off in different directions until finally, a small group of us remained, chatting until 2 in the morning and making exciting plans. A feeling of exuberance set in, along with curiosity about these girls who would later become my BFFs,” Ottilia says.

Linda & Hanna’s Side of the Story

Linda’s Experience

Linda downloaded Gofrendly when she came home after many years abroad. “I met a couple of girls with whom I instantly clicked, even though I had my doubts about making connections in this context,” she says.

Two weeks later they were celebrating midsummer together, and regular after-work drinks, parties and dinners followed. “Every time we meet, I’m reminded of how wonderful it is that we’re all so different yet work so well together.”

Hanna’s Discovery

“After my second Gofrendly date, I called my mom to share how I’d met this fantastic girl. I’m naturally open and can strike up conversations easily, so I don’t remember feeling nervous or experiencing any awkward moments. It was more exciting than anything else,” Hanna says.

“That night, I returned home content and filled with joy about the fantastic day, but I had no idea just how significant a part of my life these girls from Gofrendly would become. We’re still in the process of getting to know each other, and it’s a journey. There are no words to express how grateful I am to have these girls in my life.” Thanks to them, Hanna says, she now feels right at home in her city.

“There was something truly magical about how we shared our dreams and realized how perfectly we clicked.”

— Emma, Gofrendly member

Friends and Feeling at Home

Hanna says the group has made her feel right at home, and a large UK survey shows how closely friendship and belonging go together. In a Belonging Forum survey of 10,000 UK adults, carried out by Opinium, 65% of people with ten or more close friends said they felt they belonged, compared with 20% of people with no close friends.

65%of UK adults with ten or more close friends said they felt they belonged, compared with 20% of those with no close friends.

Source: Belonging Forum / Opinium survey of 10,000 UK adults (March 2025)

Ready to Find Your Own Girl Gang?

Gofrendly is a women-only app for meeting new friends, and sometimes one meetup is all it takes to start a group.

Start here

What This Girl Gang Can Teach You

Their story is a reminder of a few simple things.

Nervous is normal. Emma found reaching out a bit intimidating and her first friend date made her super nervous, but it was also loads of fun.
There’s more than one way in. Emma reached out to girls she had never met, while Ottilia went to a barbecue organised by 20 women from Gofrendly.
Doubts don’t have to stop you. Linda had her doubts about making connections this way, and two weeks later they were celebrating midsummer together.
Different can work. Linda says they’re all so different, yet work so well together.

Frequently asked questions

Is this a real Gofrendly member story?

Yes. Emma, Ottilia, Linda and Hanna shared their own experiences of finding friends through Gofrendly. Their words appear here as they shared them; place names and a few local details have been left out.

How did the group come together?

In different ways. Emma nervously reached out to girls on Gofrendly and later met Hanna, Ottilia went to a barbecue organised by 20 women from Gofrendly, and Linda met a couple of girls she instantly clicked with after downloading the app.

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 piece on fear of rejection when making friends looks at why reaching out can feel so nerve-wracking.

Written by

Claudia

Claudia is the co-founder of Gofrendly, the friendship app for women. Having built a thriving community for women of all ages, she has gained unique insights into what helps meaningful friendships grow and last.

“The best social technology doesn’t keep people online—it helps them build relationships offline.”