Around Me: Find Like-Minded People Nearby
Meet a small group of people near you who share your interests, over an activity you love, at a verified hotspot.
Started at UC Riverside in 2024 with 538 signups in one quarter. Open now to UCR students, then region by region.
Why AroundMe?
Meet like-minded people without the legwork
Unable to find right people to talk to?
Everyone around you is a stranger until you know what you share. We surface the people nearby who are into what you're into.
Fear to break the ice?
You never walk in cold. Every meetup comes with context on why this group fits, and conversation starters to get things going.
Networking taking too much time?
No browsing, no swiping, no endless chats. Tell us what you want to do, and we bring the plan to you.
Smart features that do the work for you
Everything is built around one promise: less time searching, more time actually meeting.
Hotspots
Verified, location-anchored meetup zones for shared interests: a café, a courtyard, a coworking space, a trailhead.
Ice-breaker suggestions
Conversation starters generated for your group to foster meaningful interactions from the first minute.
Any activity you love
Hikes, study circles, pickup games, founder co-working, coffee walks. Meetups form around what you want to do.
Social profile integration
Verified members only. At UCR every member joins with a ucr.edu email, so every group is real people.
How it works
From signup to your first meetup in 4 simple steps
Tell us what you're into
One short form, and it's the only profile you'll ever fill in: your region, your interests, what you'd love to do with new people, and when you're free. An optional chat with our AI sharpens your matches.
We build your group
Our matching forms a group of 4 to 6 nearby people who genuinely fit, around a shared activity, at a verified hotspot, at a time that works for you.
Confirm with one tap
You get one invite: who you're meeting, why this group fits, when and where. Tap "I'm in". No browsing, no back-and-forth planning.
Show up and connect
Icebreakers included. Afterwards, you and the people you clicked with mutually opt in to stay in touch. That's how real circles form.
Guides for UCR and Riverside
How to actually meet people at UCR (beyond the club fair)
Sampling ten clubs in one afternoon is why nothing stuck. The fourth visit to one recurring room is where a UCR friend group actually starts.
The UCR-area guide: study spots, coffee, and cheap group eats
The UCR-area map (quiet library floors, coffee you can sit at for hours, and cheap group eats on University Ave) and how to turn any of them into a study group.
How to meet people in Riverside
Mt. Rubidoux at sunrise, the river trail, downtown's Main Street mall, game nights, volunteering: where Riverside actually connects, and why the commute makes it harder.
Somewhere else? How to meet people near you, wherever you live.
Frequently Asked Questions
Got a question? We've got answers. If you have some other questions, contact us using email.
How is AroundMe different from other networking platforms?+−
AroundMe is built on verified hotspots (real venues, times, and themes we vet ourselves) and on matching that builds the meetup for you. No swiping, no browsing, no cold messaging.
What kinds of activities do meetups form around?+−
Whatever you're into: hikes, study groups, pickup sports, founder co-working, gallery walks, coffee, dinner. You tell us what you'd love to do, and the meetup forms around exactly that.
Do I need to create an account to use AroundMe?+−
You don't need to build a profile from scratch. At UCR you join with your ucr.edu email and a 6-digit code. That also keeps every member verified and every meetup trustworthy.
Where can I find people to network with?+−
AroundMe is your go-to solution for connecting with like-minded people in your local area. Join the waitlist for your region, tell us what you're into, and we'll place you in the right hotspot, whether that's work networking, study buddies, or just making friends.
How do you network while at university?+−
Keep it simple: join AroundMe and tell us what you're into. We match you into study groups, events, and small meetups with classmates who share your interests. That's how we got our start at UC Riverside, and UCR students can join now with a ucr.edu email.
How do I find like-minded friends in my area?+−
At UCR? Join now with your ucr.edu email. Anywhere else, join the waitlist and tell us your interests and what you'd love to do with new people. When your region opens, AroundMe builds small-group meetups around exactly that.
Get AroundMe where you live!
Join the waitlist. When enough neighbors join, your region goes live and your first meetup is on us to organize.
Join the Waitlist