A 24‑year‑old UT Austin survival guide to making friends fast after graduation.

Graduating from UT Austin and moving to a new Texas city is exciting… and then it hits you. No more built‑in campus friends. No random group texts. No “meet at the Co‑Op?” moments.

The good news? Recent Longhorn grads are everywhere. Dallas, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio are packed with UT alumni who are also trying to figure out life after college. You just need to know where they hang out — and how to meet them without it feeling forced.

🤘 Step One: Pick the Right Neighborhood

Meeting people starts with where you live. Certain neighborhoods naturally attract young professionals and recent grads.

Dallas

• Uptown – walkable, social, full of new grads
• Victory Park – apartment events + high‑rise energy
• Lower Greenville – casual bars and patios

Houston

• Midtown – easiest place to meet people fast
• The Heights – coffee shops, trails, patios
• Montrose – artsy, social, and walkable

Austin

• Downtown / Warehouse District – social and energetic
• South Congress – iconic Austin vibe
• East Austin – breweries and young‑professional crowd

San Antonio

• Pearl District – most popular post‑grad area
• Southtown – artsy and social
• Tobin Hill – close to downtown and walkable

🏢 Apartment Events = Easy Mode

Apartment communities are one of the most underrated ways to meet people. Pool parties, happy hours, workout classes — everyone there lives nearby and is usually new to the city.

☕ Become a Regular

Pick one coffee shop, one gym or studio, and one weekly activity. Showing up consistently is how strangers become friends.

🏈 Football Season Is Your Cheat Code

Wear burnt orange. Go to watch parties. Ask where someone went to school. In Texas, that’s normal — and Longhorns spot each other instantly.

🎯 The 30‑Day Game Plan

• Week 1: Choose your spots
• Week 2: Attend one apartment or group event
• Week 3: Invite someone to coffee or a patio
• Week 4: Say yes to a random plan

Do this and you’ll feel settled faster than you expect.