A woman is taking 52 strangers to dinner this year to "make new friends" – after realising how “isolated” she was following her break up.
Jessie Wright, 31, has decided to go to dinner every Thursday with a complete stranger - with the aim of making new female friendships.
The social media guru set herself the goal as a New Year’s resolution after realising how “alone” she felt after the break down of her five-year relationship in December 2020.
Jessie moved to Melbourne, Australia, in 2019, from Adelaide, and struggled to make close friendships due to coronavirus lockdown.
She decided to put a call out on her Instagram in January this year to see who might be interested in going to dinner with her and was flooded with responses.
Jessie met her first stranger on February 9, 2023, and has been on five dinners since – journaling each one to keep track.
Now she says the dinners are her “highlight of the week” and has realised how important friendship is to her.
So far, she’s kept in touch with all the women she has met and hopes to hold a big dinner or party for all 52 of her new friends at the end of the year.
Jessie, a head of social media, from Melbourne, Australia, said: “My New Year’s resolution was to make new friends.
“I had felt so isolated in Melbourne as I didn’t really know anyone.
“I thought - 'why don’t I try going to dinner with someone?'.
“I put a post on my Instagram story kind of as a joke, but the response was crazy.
“It was more nerve-wracking than a date with a male.
“There’s something different when it is women you admire.
“But it was really fun.
“There is something nice in meeting a stranger.
“There are so many incredible women out there feeling the same way.
“I’ve learnt how important friendship is to me.
“I think we should put the same energy into making friends as you do dating.”
Jessie decided to do something about her loneliness in January 2023 and put an action plan together to meet a new stranger for each week of the year.
She was “flattered” at the hundred responses she received after announcing her idea on Instagram.
Jessie said: “I had this girl reach out to say, ‘I live in Sydney but I’m in Melbourne next Thursday if you want to go for dinner.’
“I felt grateful that someone wanted to do this with me.
“It’s a cliché but we had an instant connection.
“The awkwardness went.
“I called my mum, Kirsty, 62, straight after.
“I couldn’t believe I had done it. I was really proud.”
Jessie has now been on five dinners and books them up a month in advance.
Since first posting about her resolution, she’s been inundated with 700 responses.
Jessie hopes to travel abroad this year and wants to continue her Thursday dinners when she does.
Jessie is not yet back on the dating scene and is loving the time and effort she is putting into finding new and meaningful friendships.
Jessie Wright, 31, has decided to go to dinner every Thursday with a complete stranger - with the aim of making new female friendships.
The social media guru set herself the goal as a New Year’s resolution after realising how “alone” she felt after the break down of her five-year relationship in December 2020.
Jessie moved to Melbourne, Australia, in 2019, from Adelaide, and struggled to make close friendships due to coronavirus lockdown.
She decided to put a call out on her Instagram in January this year to see who might be interested in going to dinner with her and was flooded with responses.
Jessie met her first stranger on February 9, 2023, and has been on five dinners since – journaling each one to keep track.
Now she says the dinners are her “highlight of the week” and has realised how important friendship is to her.
So far, she’s kept in touch with all the women she has met and hopes to hold a big dinner or party for all 52 of her new friends at the end of the year.
Jessie, a head of social media, from Melbourne, Australia, said: “My New Year’s resolution was to make new friends.
“I had felt so isolated in Melbourne as I didn’t really know anyone.
“I thought - 'why don’t I try going to dinner with someone?'.
“I put a post on my Instagram story kind of as a joke, but the response was crazy.
“It was more nerve-wracking than a date with a male.
“There’s something different when it is women you admire.
“But it was really fun.
“There is something nice in meeting a stranger.
“There are so many incredible women out there feeling the same way.
“I’ve learnt how important friendship is to me.
“I think we should put the same energy into making friends as you do dating.”
Jessie decided to do something about her loneliness in January 2023 and put an action plan together to meet a new stranger for each week of the year.
She was “flattered” at the hundred responses she received after announcing her idea on Instagram.
Jessie said: “I had this girl reach out to say, ‘I live in Sydney but I’m in Melbourne next Thursday if you want to go for dinner.’
“I felt grateful that someone wanted to do this with me.
“It’s a cliché but we had an instant connection.
“The awkwardness went.
“I called my mum, Kirsty, 62, straight after.
“I couldn’t believe I had done it. I was really proud.”
Jessie has now been on five dinners and books them up a month in advance.
Since first posting about her resolution, she’s been inundated with 700 responses.
Jessie hopes to travel abroad this year and wants to continue her Thursday dinners when she does.
Jessie is not yet back on the dating scene and is loving the time and effort she is putting into finding new and meaningful friendships.
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Fun