Austin has officially entered the post-holiday slump season; that odd time of year between New Year's and Spring when it's colder out, it's dark early, and there's just not a whole lot to do. Or people available to do it with. It might be time to start taking those new year's resolutions seriously and meet some people.

For some people this is the perfect time to hibernate, relax, and curl up with a great book; for others, these literal darker days might mean an uptick in loneliness or seasonal affective disorder. By trying something meaningful and habit-building, and creating relationships with others with the same priorities, Austinites can start building daily or weekly paths out of the house and into a more connected world.

For those Austinites who aren't sure what to do in these odd months before spring start, we've come up with a list of ways to get out and meet new people. And for those introverts enjoying a good book at home right now, Happy Best Season of the Year. There's always book club.

Take a Class

Improv
Improv classes are a great way to meet new people, because they're fun and playful, and they teach students to be less self critical, more confident, and more present. The Hideout Theater, Merlin Works, ColdTowne Theater, and Fallout Theater all offer improv classes year-round.

Art
Whether you're interested in clay, painting, sculpting, metal works, photography, or collage, there is an art class for everyone here in Austin. Check out Laguna Gloria and Doherty Arts Center for a plethora of options. Be sure to sign up early, because classes tend to fill up.

Cooking
Cooking and eating tend to bring people together, and in a cooking class, you'll be doing a lot of both. Central Market (both North and South) and Sur la Table offer cooking classes year-round. These one-off classes focus on a variety of dishes from sushi to Tex-Mex to desserts.

Dance
Despite its name, Ballet Austin offers a variety of dance class options, from hip hop to tap. If you're more into partner dancing, Go Dance Studio has group classes including Swing, Tango, and even The Charleston. Participants can show up solo and meet new people by dancing with them.

A dance class at Ballet Austin can be a good way to meet new people. Photo from balletaustin.org

Join a workout group or boutique gym

Big gyms aren't typically a great place to meet new people, since many are focused on their workout and often wearing headphones. Smaller, boutique-type gyms, or particular workout groups, though, can be a great place to meet folks with similar interests.

Climbing gyms
Austin Bouldering Project and Crux are not just climbing gyms. They also offer workout areas, fitness and yoga classes, co-working spaces. They are essentially lifestyle and social centers for their members; a great place to meet fellow active Austinites.

Running clubs
There are running clubs and meetups all over the city, every day of the week, meeting multiple times per day. There are so many options, it's really just about picking the one (or two) that work best for your schedule, location, pace, and of course, whether or not you want to grab a beer afterward.

CrossFit
There's a joke that CrossFit is basically a cult; but hey, a cult full of fit, healthy, and connected people shouldn't be that bad. There are several options, but if we're trusting Reddit (and why wouldn't we?), lots of people seem like to Kawi Crossfit and Crossfit Central.

Barry's Bootcamp
Speaking of cult-like followings, Barry's Bootcamp has made quite a name for itself ever since it opened its Austin location a few years ago. It's a bougier workout experience offering classes (no open workout area), but it does seem to foster a real feeling of community among the regulars.

Acroyoga
It can be hard to strike up a conversation and meet new people in a regular yoga class, but acroyoga — which involves partnering up with someone else — doesn't just allow connection, but rather forces it. In a good way! Classes are available in multiple gyms, but many locals love Laché Movement Co.

Acroyoga tends to be more playful and social than a traditional yoga class.Photo from Laché Movement Co. Facebook page

Volunteer

There are so many volunteer options here in Austin, but here are a few that facilitate meeting other people.

Austin Farm Sanctuary
It's a bit of a trek out to Paige, Texas, to the Austin Farm Sanctuary, but it's worth it. Speaking personally, when I went out to the Austin Farm Sanctuary's monthly orientation, I immediately made a couple of friends. If you love animals and want to connect with others who do too, it's a great place to spend some time.

Big Brothers Big Sisters
With Big Brothers Big Sisters, you might make a friend who's a good deal younger than you, but a friend nonetheless. Big Brothers Big Sisters is all about "Bigs" mentoring "Littles," and according to the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Texas site, about 320 Littles are currently waiting for their Bigs.

Austin Pets Alive!
Here's another volunteer opportunity for those who love animals, a bit closer to home. Austin Pets Alive, or APA!, is always in need of volunteers. This is a great place to meet dogs, cats, and people who love dogs and cats as much as you do.

APA! is just one of many volunteer options for making new friends (human and otherwise) in Austin. Photo from austinpetsalive.org

Try an App

Timeleft
Austinites have probably seen advertisements for this app pop up on their social media. The concept is simple: Every Wednesday night, a group of strangers meets up at a restaurant for dinner and conversation. The app helps match you with people with similar interests, books the dinner for you, and you'll simply show up. Afterward, guests can choose to stay connected or not. Users can either pay for a single one-off dinner experience or a monthly subscription, through the app.

Bumble for Friends
Bumble for Friends is exactly what it sounds like: It's the Bumble dating app, but instead of meeting romantic partners, you're meeting friends. Similar to regular Bumble (or Hinge, Tinder, etc.) you'll fill out your personal information, and you can browse through potential friends in your area.

Bumble for Friends is essentially a dating app, but for platonic connections. Photo from bumble.com/bff

Be a regular
Austinites can meet people with similar interests by simply becoming a regular at their favorite spot. If you're new here and want to slide right into an existing community of Austinites, try heading to Barton Springs, Zilker Park, your favorite gym, your local dog park (if you have a dog, please), Radio Coffee, Cosmic, the Central Library, or some of the city's best bars and neighborhood restaurants. All of these places are crawling with regulars already. Just show up consistently and around the same time, and you're sure to meet people with similar interests.

Literally just go out and do what you enjoy
Sitting at home might seem tempting in these colder winter months, but you're not likely to bump into your new best friend from your couch. If you're trying to meet new people, the best way to meet people you'll enjoy is to simply go out and do the things you enjoy. Maybe we'll see you out there!