Woman plans to take 52 strangers out to dinner this year to ‘make new friends’

By Emma Dunn via SWNS

A woman is taking 52 strangers to dinner this year to "make new friends" – after realizing how “isolated” she was following her breakup.

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 realizing how “alone” she felt after the breakdown 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 Feb. 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 realized 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 learned 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 mom, 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.

She said: “I’ve been journaling all the dinners.

“Documenting beforehand how I feel and how I think it will go.

“It helps me keep track – 52 is a lot of people.

“So far, I’ve had really good luck with the people I have met.”

Jessie hopes to travel abroad this year and wants to continue her Thursday dinners when she does.

She said: “I’ve had people contact me from all over the world.”

Jessie has already been able to connect with like-minded women and has been able to explore more of Melbourne.

She said: “It’s made me enjoy Melbourne a lot more.

“It’s the highlight of my week.

“I get excited about what I’m going to wear.

“It’s so much fun getting dressed up for dinner.”

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.

She said: “If you ask someone about themselves it’s amazing what they will share.

“I’ve learned how important friendship is to me.

“I put a lot of emphasis on it.

“If I invest time into making friendships as I did with relationships then I’ll have amazing friendships.

“The conversations I have been having are so much more fulfilling.”

Jessie wants to hold a group dinner or party for all her 52 friends at the end of the year so they can all meet each other.

She said: “I would love my world to be filled with smart and successful women.”